होमबाउंड

Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan (Masaan, 2015) and executive produced by Martin Scorsese, Homebound follows two childhood friends — Shoaib (Mohammed Shoaib Ali, Muslim) and Chandan (Chandan Kumar Valmiki, Dalit) — from a small North Indian village who bond over their shared dream of cracking the Indian Police Service exam. As they prepare together in a cramped urban room, mounting pressures of caste, religion, and ambition strain their friendship to breaking point. Inspired by a 2020 New York Times essay by Basharat Peer, the film premiered in the Un Certain Regard section of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival to a nine-minute standing ovation, and served as India's official entry for the Academy Awards.

The film's sonic world is split between a moody ambient score by Naren Chandravarkar and Benedict Taylor — the British duo who scored Masaan — and songs by Amit Trivedi with lyrics by Varun Grover. The principal song 'Yaar Mere', sung by Javed Ali and Papon, was released on 24 September 2025, two days before theatrical release, and became the album's anthem of male friendship and hope.

Homebound is 2025's most internationally significant Hindi film: Neeraj Ghaywan's Cannes Un Certain Regard premiere drew a nine-minute standing ovation, Martin Scorsese's executive production brought global prestige, and India's Oscar entry status amplified its reach. Musically, the collaboration between Amit Trivedi's songs and the Masaan duo Naren Chandravarkar-Benedict Taylor's ambient score created one of the year's most layered sonic worlds; 'Yaar Mere' by Javed Ali and Papon became a 2025 anthem of male friendship across caste and class divides.

Despite earning only ₹3 crore theatrically against a ₹25+ crore budget, Homebound's critical legacy is robust: Ghaywan's standing in world cinema was cemented, and the film remains cited as a landmark in the representation of caste and religious identity in Hindi cinema. Amit Trivedi's 'Yaar Mere' transcended the box office disappointment to become a beloved streaming track widely shared on social media.