Language: Hindi
Genre: Human Drama
Time: 2 hours
Platform: Theatrical Release (soon on Netflix?)
Plot: Chandan (Vishal Jethwa) and Shoaib (Ishaan Khattar) are on their way to give exam for recruitment into police. Chandan has faced relentless casteism and always applies in the “General” category despite Shoaib telling him not to do so. Shoaib repeatedly runs into anti Muslim bias in various places. Shoaib’s father must be operated for a damaged knee. Chandan’s mother and sister are thrown out of their school by high castes who object to their presence in the school and cooking for the students. Chandan also is attracted to a low caste girl Sudha (Jahnvi Kapoor) who had also appeared for the police exam. Their cup of woes continues to overflow as the police recruitment drive is suspended. To fill the family kitty Chandan goes to Surat to work in a textile mill. Looking at his father’s condition, Shoaib also follows. The Covid Virus pandemic breaks out…
In the 1950s, mainstream Hindi cinema entertained but also held a mirror to the social situation. That completely died in the 1960s with a brief revival in the 1970s where Amitabh’s “industrial hero” mirrored the larger post independence frustration and social reality. The parallel cinema held its own but then died out in the 1990s with all the stalwarts of “parallel cinema” going “mainstream” with a vengeance.
In this context, Homebound comes as a refreshing change in its storytelling. Its about friendship, struggle , and above all human resilience .
It has been a long time that I have seen a film that is both deeply moving and topical. The two friends are somewhere in the Hindi heartland, presumably U.P, judging by their accents and dialects. The friendship has withstood many hurdles, but is soon fraying at the edges as Shoaib insists that Chandan stop masquerading as an upper caste and apply in the “General” category, for Government jobs.
Given that Indian social and political interactions are largely centred and governed around caste as seen by various ‘caste reservations’ agitations and demands, the film is timely. It is indeed a miracle that their friendship is able to withstand the multiple demands and pulls of their respective socio religious background. Shoaib keeps facing taunts about his being a Muslim in his office while Chandan must consciously hide his lower caste identity than embrace it.
The story unfolds like a painting – each colour is slowly and steadily added over the duration of the film. It is also poignant in the way that the two friends hardly have any other social contacts outside their immediate circle and definitely not with the higher castes. Chandan’s efforts to enrol in a college and be a graduate is yet another challenge to his already challenged world .
The film is not so much about in-your-face casteism or religious bias but more about the duo for whom every single day is a struggle to stand on their feet and be counted as humans . We are observers of the tale that unfolds in front of us ; yet we are soon drawn into it.
The pandemic is a distant memory now but the most affected were the poor economic sections, especially the daily wagers and labourers, as shown here. I am NOT saying any more . Watch it on a big screen. This is one of the most deeply moving films filled with humanity , I have seen in the last ten (or more) years.
As Shoaib, Ishaan Khattar is simply superb and he gets Shoaib’s angst perfect . He towers above the cast despite Vishal Jethwa giving him a good run as Chandan. The Jahnvi character could have been entirely dispensed with and has no appreciable overall impact; editing it out would have saved a good 15 – 20 minutes. Predictably Jahnvi Kapoor mumbles her way through yet another performance. Apparently there was a love interest for Shoaib which was totally edited out.
Don’t miss this. This is a brilliant film worthy of your time, despite some minor niggles
Script – 5 out of 5
Story – 5 out of 5
Direction – 5 out of 5
Photography – 5 out of 5
Total – 5 out of 5
Your review makes me go see the Homebound in the theatre, before ott release.