Neeraj Ghaywan On Ishaan Khatter And Vishal Jethwa Losing 10 Kg For Homebound: "It Was Not About Having A Great Body"

New Delhi:

Neeraj Ghaywan's much-anticipated second feature, Homebound, has been selected as India's official entry to the Oscars this year, after winning acclaim at Cannes and the Toronto International Film Festival. Starring Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa and Janhvi Kapoor, the film is scheduled to release in India on September 26.

For the actors, preparing for Homebound went far beyond physical appearance. Vishal Jethwa and Ishaan Khatter each lost between five and ten kg. 

As director Neeraj Ghaywan clarified, the weight loss "was not about having a great body, it was about losing the muscle, not looking like a gym body, so that they appear like village boys rather than beefed-up men."

The transformation was emotional as well. Both actors spent time in Barabanki, the village in Uttar Pradesh where their characters originate. 

They stayed in similar houses, ate local food, and observed the community closely to adapt its language and mannerisms. They also underwent two to three months of dialect coaching. 

At a recent press meet, Ishaan Khatter revealed what sets Ghaywan's filmmaking apart. 

"Before starting any film, Neeraj bhai always holds a team meeting. The very first thing he says is, never consider anyone smaller or bigger than you. There is no hierarchy on set. Everyone is equal. Call everyone by their name, whether it is the spot boy or the light boy. Every person is an equal contributor to the film. This is a very rare quality, and Neeraj bhai truly practises what he preaches," he said.

Ghaywan elaborated on his inclusive approach to building crews and said, "The biggest rule on our set is that more than 50 percent of the crew must be women - and they are not just there as token presence, they must head departments. It is also mandatory that Dalits, Muslims and LGBTQ+ community members are part of our crew. I always give preference to those who have often been ignored by society."

Ishaan Khatter summed up his learning, adding, "What I learnt from Neeraj bhai is that good intentions are not enough; you must also be socially aware. If you are privileged in society, then it is your responsibility to use that privilege to make society better."

Homebound follows two childhood friends from a small village who aspire to join the police force, a path that offers them the dignity and respect they have long been denied.

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