‘Homebound Is A Meaningful And Deserving Film’

What’s your take on Homebound going to the Oscars?

I’m thrilled. Even if I hadn’t been part of this film, I’d still be a champion of this subject and Neeraj’s beautiful craft. I think it’s a deserving film and I hope we can take it to an even bigger stage from here.

Homebound proves your extraordinary talent but it took you a long while to get here, isn’t it?

I think ‘how long’ is relative but it took a while to find a filmmaker who truly saw me as an actor and gave me a role to channel my abilities. He pushed me in a way only Majidi has before. There’s only one Neeraj Ghaywan, and I’m grateful to be part of this meaningful, deeply intentional work.

What was your reaction when you were offered this complex part of a man constantly facing prejudice?

Karan Johar Sir was the one who called me first to tell me there is a very special film he’s making with Neeraj. When I read the script, I realised how relevan and beautifully written it was. I knew that Shoaib was not a unidimensional part and it was easily the most challenging part I’ve been offered in my career.

How much did Neeraj contribute to your performance?

Neeraj is a magician, but a methodical one. He never shied away from raising the stakes, challenging me at every level. He understood the depth of the character and pushed me to fully immerse myself, not just rely on craft. It was a blessing, and I finally achieved what I had long desired.

What was it like, shooting on locations Like highways and railway platforms?

It was all so useful. I’ve always preferred shooting on location. It gives an unmistakable sense of reality to the film and performances. But it was challenging. Only the highway was punishing I would say, I’ll leave why to the readers’ imagination.