Neeraj Ghaywan’s highly anticipated second feature Homebound had its world premiere at the 78th Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section and received a rousing nine-minute standing ovation. The screening took place at the Debussy Theatre and was attended by Ghaywan along with lead actors Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa and Janhvi Kapoor. The team was also joined by producer Karan Johar and his Dharma Productions colleagues, Apoorva Mehta and Somen Mishra. The first review of Homebound is now out, and it offers high praise for the film, particularly for its emotional depth and the performances of its leading men. Variety commended both Ishaan and Vishal’s work, noting their “immensely endearing and unpredictable performances." Homebound follows best friends Shoaib (Ishaan Khatter), a Muslim, and Chandan (Vishal Jethwa), a Dalit, as they chase their dream of becoming police trainees, hoping the uniform will shield them from caste and religious discrimination. After a year of silence from the government, their ambitions hang in limbo, straining their finances and hopes. Set in a small North Indian village, the film explores their emotional and social struggles. While Shoaib struggles to support his ailing father, Chandan enrolls in college, partly to stay close to Sudha (Janhvi Kapoor), a fellow Dalit from a slightly better-off family. However, Janhvi Kapoor’s portrayal of Sudha received a mixed response. The review noted, “Unfortunately, unlike her ‘Dhadak’ co-star Khatter, Kapoor (who was similarly raised in the Hindi film industry) hasn’t yet learned to shed the enunciations and gestures that suggest someone who was raised in a major city, surrounded by wealth. This makes Sudha’s dynamic with Chandan play like the kind of inter-class or inter-caste romance typical of Indian dramas, despite what’s actually intended." The review went on to say that Kapoor’s disconnect from her character appears only in a few scenes and is somewhat offset by the limited scope of her role. “However, this disconnect is limited to only a handful of scenes, since Kapoor’s role is truncated to the point of feeling perfunctory. It’s the movie’s only major flaw, but it works in its favour, allowing the leading duo the lion’s share of the runtime," it added. Despite this, Homebound has been hailed as a moving and impactful film. Variety concluded, “It’s a film of great tragedy, but one so rooted in beating humanity that you can’t help but be left furious, in addition to teary-eyed." The film marks Neeraj Ghaywan’s return to Cannes after his debut Masaan received international acclaim in 2015. With Homebound, he appears to have once again struck a powerful emotional chord with global audiences.