Neeraj Ghaywan talks about receiving ‘detailed’ notes from Martin Scorsese for Homebound: ‘He advised to shave off a lot of exposition’

Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound recently premiered at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival and was well received with a nine-minute standing ovation. Apart from this encouraging reception, the film also boasts of Martin Scorsese as its executive producer. In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter India, Neeraj spoke about the surreal experience of getting feedback from the legendary director.

“Well, the notes came in over e-mail, and… and in detail. Because he started out on the script, and he advised me to shave off a lot of the exposition. And, you know, this is the first time I’m actually writing a full screenplay. So that was a little daunting because every filmmaker wants to say a hundred things in the same film,” Neeraj shared. “So those things, and he tried to put a restraint on some of the arcs that he said may impede the main narrative. Those points were really bang on because it helped me, like, pave the screenplay.”

The Masaan director added that Scorsese also guided them beyond the screenplay. “We actually went with a very big screenplay, and also during editing, like, he had such wonderful things to talk about. Like say how to make it shorter, make it to the point, and every bit of it. Sometimes it was such disbelief, you know, like to even comprehend that, ‘Hello, he is talking about my film.’”

Homebound stars Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa and Janhvi Kapoor. The film has been produced by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions.