‘Homebound’ box office collection day 1: Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa's film mints ₹30 lakh

Homebound, India's official Oscar 2026 entry in the Best International Feature category, earned about ₹30 lakh on its opening day, according to preliminary estimates.

The Neeraj Ghaywan-directed film, starring Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khatter, and Vishal Jethwa, has received praise overseas and debuted at major international festivals. However, its first-day performance at the Indian box office is far from what was expected.

Despite the low opening day figures, it will be interesting to see how the film performs over the weekend.

Karan Johar has shared Homebound’s poster to celebrate the film’s theatre release in India.

He wrote, “In cinemas….#HOMEBOUND…So proud and humbled to be a part of this magnificent motion picture…”

Replying to the post,Ishaan dropped a red heart. Filmmaker Zoya Akhtar followed suit. Saba Pataudi said, “A must-watch.”

About Homebound

The plot revolves around two childhood friends, a Muslim boy, played by Ishaan Khattar, and a Dalit boy, portrayed by Vishal Jethwa. Things take an ugly turn as they “pursue police jobs seeking dignity, but their friendship strains as desperation grows in their quest.”

Hollywood legend Martin Scorsese serves as an executive producer. Homebound is jointly produced by Karan Johar and Adar Poonawalla.

The film was presented at the Toronto International Film Festival following its international premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. The narrative was inspired by the article Taking Amrit Home (A Friendship, a Pandemic, and a Death Beside the Highway) by Basharat Peer.