Neeraj Ghaywan's film Homebound has reportedly been subject to 11 cuts by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) before its recent theatrical release. Seeing a now-deleted post about the censorship, a user took to social media, tagged the director and said that they would only watch a "torrented version of" the film. Realising the value of the theatrical business, Neeraj asked the viewer to reconsider their decision and watch the film in theatres. "Trust me," he wrote. It took about 10 years for Neeraj to make the film and release it theatrically after his directorial debut Masaan.
The user argued that the censorship against the film is a case of "butchering" by "CBFC diktats". The user claimed that they intend to watch the film in its uncut form, which is only possible in India through a pirated source. However, many other users made a counter argument to it, saying if the Neeraj Ghaywan directorial fails to gross enough money, Neeraj might not even have another film to make in the future, and thereby underscoring the importance of supporting such independent projects.
On the film's release day, yesterday, Neeraj asked audiences to watch the film in theatres without paying attention to "rumours". According to the user, Neeraj has not responded to reports saying that the film has been censored.
The filmmaker also requested audiences not to post screenshots or spoilers about the film so that audiences who are yet to watch the film can enjoy it as much as possible. The feature film has opened to unanimous praise from critics and audiences alike. In our review, Namrata Joshi wrote, "There is an authenticity to Homebound that goes beyond the writing and the language. It’s in the realness of the spaces."
Homebound stars Ishaan Khatter, Janhvi Kapoor and Vishal Jethwa, among others. The film made its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival's Un Certain Regard section earlier this year. It has made the headlines for multiple reasons, including Martin Scorsese's association with the film as an executive producer and for it being India's official entry for 2026 Oscar Best International Feature. Interestingly, Scorsese is someone who has championed the theatrical experience over watching a film on the small screen, as well as original film ideas instead of franchises such as the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
