- Homebound, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, missed final Oscar nomination for Best International Feature Film
- Dihadi (2021), by Mayukha and Nidhi Patel, shares striking similarities with Homebound (2025)
- Dihadi was shot in 12 days with a minimal crew, focusing on a migrant worker's Covid lockdown story
India's Oscars hope crashed when Homebound, a social drama directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, didn't advance to the final nomination in the Best International Feature Film category.
Backed by Dharma Productions, Homebound is inspired by a real-life story of friendship and tragedy during India's Covid lockdown. Starring Vishal Jethwa and Ishaan Khatter in the lead, the movie was based on Basharat Peer's 2020 New York Times article 'Taking Amrit Home'.
Days before the 98th Academy Awards took place in Los Angeles, an independent director duo Mayukha Patel and Nidhi Patel shared a reel on Instagram, drawing similarities between the frames of their 2021 film Dihadi and Homebound, which released in 2025.
Much like Homebound, Dihadi too also narrates the story of a migrant worker during the Covid lockdown. According to Dihadi's IMDb page, the film revolves around "a migrant worker gets lost in internal area amid lockdown".
In their Instagram post, Mayukha Patel and Nidhi Patel detailed how their team shot Dihadi -- a Hindi phrase used for a migrant worker's daily wages -- in 12 days back in 2021.
"With just 1 camera, 2 directors, actors and 1 DOP, the entire film having the length of 1hr 27mins was shot in just 12 days in January 2021. Most migrant workers are daily wage workers. And that's why we named our film 'Dihadi'. Makers of Dihadi are @_niidhi @mayukhapatel (formerly named Pooja Patel)" the caption read.
The director duo said they watched Homebound when the film released last September to find 'uncanny resemblance' between the two movies.
"Homebound was released in September, 2025 in India. But we watched it just before few days and film's visuals got our attention as resemblances are uncanny.
"P.S. We are not trying to defame anyone or we aren't claiming anything against makers. This reel was made to bring awareness for small budget films," they said.
Here's how social media users reacted to the Dihadi makers Instagram post:
"I was a big admirer of Homebound until I saw this. You guys deserve the best applause," wrote a user in comments.
"Interesting how similar ideas appear years later in bigger films. Indie creators like the makers of Dihadi (2021) truly deserve more recognition. More power to you and your vision keeps creating. @_niidhi & @mayukhapatel," said another.
One wrote, "If it's true then it's highly unfair."
"I didn't know about this film until this video popped up in my feed. Seriously, it's a very serious issue to question the makers of Homebound that why they copied this film. And even if they didn't copy this film then it's to question ourselves how it didn't reach us. I was very proud to see that film..." said another.
One called the reel "quite misleading and inaccurate", stating how Homebound is based on Basharat Peer's New York Times article that he wrote after seeing a photo of two migrant workers struggling and walking back home during the Covid lockdown.
"Neeraj Ghaywan then decided to make the movie after reading the article. In fact, Basharat Peer worked quite closely while developing the script with Ghaywan.
"Nobody is doubting the hardships independent filmmaker have to go through, but I don't think it's fair or accurate to call it a copy, considering millions of Indians, especially daily wage workers literally went through this exact same thing of literally walking back home across states. There, obviously will be similarities, literally the same tragedy affected, millions of daily wage workers!! To be honest, I didn't even particularly enjoy Homebound, but I don't think it's at all fair to call it a copy," he wrote.
In a follow-up Instagram post, Mayukha Patel and Nidhi Patel said they were "overwhelmed with all the love and support" that has come their way after they pointed out similarities between Dihadi and Homebound.
"Thank you so much everyone!!!! Our purpose was to bring the awareness among the audience about how independent films are ignored or not reached to mass due to not having big banner names attached with it. Please make sure you keep supporting independent makers so that their films don't go unnoticed," they said.
Homebound makers have yet to respond to the reel by Dihadi directors.
This is not the first time Homebound has courted controversy. Days after the film had its Cannes Film Festival in May 2025, its cinematographer Pratik Shah was accused of "inappropriate behaviour". Dharma Productions later issued an official statement stating that they have a zero-tolerance policy towards such behaviour. They also added that their association with Pratik Shah was limited as he was a freelancer on the project.
In December, journalist-author Puja Changoiwala initiated legal action against Dharma Productions and Netflix, alleging that Homebound unlawfully plagiarised her 2021 novel of the same name.
A report by The Indian Express claimed that Amrit's father said he was given Rs 10,000 by the filmmakers, but they never kept in touch after that. After the claims went viral on social media, director Neeraj Ghaywan clarified that it was not the full amount, but a token as a "parting gesture".
Also Read | Karan Johar Says Homebound Oscar Campaign Is 'Expensive' But 'It Is Not A Money-Making Exercise'
