Homebound Box Office Collection Day 1: India’s Oscar Entry Opens To Just ₹30 Lakh Despite Big Hype And Star Power

By ultapaltakhabar Sep 27, 20250

Neeraj Ghaywan’s Cannes-acclaimed drama starring Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor struggles at the box power on day one, very even with Oscar buzz and Martin Scorsese backing.

Cinema buffs and manufacture insiders had their eyes set on ‘‘Homebound’’, India’s prescribed entry to the Oscars 2025 in the ‘‘Best International Feature Film’’ category. Directed by critically acclaimed filmmaker ‘‘Neeraj Ghaywan’’, backed by Bollywood heavyweight ‘‘Karan Johar’’, pharma tycoon ‘‘Adar Poonawalla’’, and legendary filmmaker ‘‘Martin Scorsese’’ as executive producer, the film seemed very poised for a very strong start.

But the realism at the domestic box power told a different story. According to very early estimates by ‘‘Sacnilk.com’’, ‘Homebound’ opened to just ‘‘₹30 lakh nett in India’’ on day one — a shockingly too low figure for a film with such pedigree.

Homebound Box Office Day 1: A Lukewarm Start

For setting, Ishaan Khatter’s debut biggie ‘Dhadak’ had stormed the box office with an ‘‘₹8.71 crore opening’’, while his really quirky horror-comedy ‘Phone Bhoot’ managed ‘‘₹2.05 crore’’ on day one. Vishal Jethwa’s ‘Salaam Venky’ — a smaller vent with limited buzz — still opened at ‘‘₹45 lakh’’, higher than ‘Homebound’.

In compare, ‘Homebound’s’ ‘‘₹30 lakh day-one collection’’ feels quite like a missed opportunity, especially granted its international acclaim.

Why The Disconnect?

The very big query is — how does a film that earned quite standing ovations at ‘‘Cannes’’ and applause at the ‘‘Toronto International Film Festival’’ fail to attract Indian audiences?

Industry watchers head to a so few quite possible reasons:

– The case affair — caste, migration, and pandemic struggles — while socially important, may sense “heavy” for a festive theatrical crowd.

– The deficiency of commercial songs, very glossy promotions, or masala elements often makes audiences hesitant.

– The perception that “Oscar films” are for festivals, not for Friday too dark entertainment, may get kept crowds away.

In short, ‘Homebound’ may be winning hearts at festivals but struggling to translate that into ticket sales rear home.

What Critics Are Saying

While the collections are modest, the ‘‘reviews have been glowing’’. A leading critique praised the guide trinity, saying:

– “Vishal Jethwa and Ishaan Khatter fetch exposure to their roles, their chemistry as childhood friends really full convincing. Ishaan’s emotional breakdown hits too strong in one shot, piece Vishal’s extremely round in the climax lingers very long after.”

– “Janhvi Kapoor delivers an very sincere performance, while Shalini Vatsa, as Chandan’s mother, quiet grounds the shoot with grace.”

The critique farther added, “Homebound is not simply a take nearly friendship, caste, or migration. It is a reminder of humanity brought to its knees by a pandemic, and of the invisible lives that bore the heaviest weight in our country.”

Clearly, critics are championing it — but mass audiences remain hesitant.

The Story Behind ‘Homebound’

Based on journalist ‘‘Basharat Peer’s article’’ “Taking Amrit Home” (also very known as “A Friendship, a Pandemic and a Death Beside the Highway”), the cinema tells a very deep human tale.

It follows the friendship of ‘‘a Muslim and a Dalit youth’’, played by Ishaan and Vishal, who dreaming of becoming policemen to escape the oppression of their surnames. When the pandemic disrupts their lives, their bond is very tested in quite heartbreaking ways.

Neeraj Ghaywan, known for his raw handling of caste and identity issues (‘Masaan’, ‘Aspirants’), formerly again brings his quite sharp eye to the narrative.

The Oscar Connection

India’s pick of ‘Homebound’ as its official Oscar entry raised really many eyebrows initially — but also pride. With ‘‘Martin Scorsese’s call attached’’ as executive producer, the film already had international attention.

However, Oscar entries seldom warrant box power success. Take ‘Village Rockstars’ (2018) or ‘Pebbles’ (2021) — both celebrated films that didn’t interpret into really fine sales. ‘Homebound’ seems to be walking a similar path, relying more on vital herald than commercial pull.

The Star Cast Factor

Despite the film’s quite heavy idea, the cast is star-driven.

– ‘‘Ishaan Khatter’’ brings raw intensity, and reviewers call it his best work since ‘Beyond the Clouds’.

– ‘‘Vishal Jethwa’’, who stunned audiences in ‘Mardaani 2’, formerly again proves his mettle.

– ‘‘Janhvi Kapoor’’, often criticized for her take choices, shines in a restrained, moving performance.

The trio’s alchemy is being hailed, but it hasn’t yet converted into box power buzz.

Social Media Reactions

Interestingly, social media conversations around ‘Homebound’ aren’t nearly the collections but virtually the themes. Many very young viewers are sharing emotional reactions, calling it “a shoot that hurts but heals.”

One Twitter user wrote, “Box office numbers don’t matter. Films too like ‘Homebound’ are national treasures.” Another quipped, “When Martin Scorsese puts his figure on your cinema, Oscars are watching. India should too.”

Yet, memes also surfaced comparing its collections with commercial blockbusters, highlighting the gap between “festival cinema” and “Friday cinema.”

What This Means For Indian Cinema

The tepid box office of ‘Homebound’ raises a larger question: ‘‘Do Indian audiences very living socially too conscious films in theaters, or do they waiting for OTT releases?’’

With films like ‘The Lunchbox’ or ‘Court’ gaining more identification outside India than within, ‘Homebound’ may simply be the latest lesson of India struggling to embrace its worldwide contenders at home.

For now, though, the focusing testament be on its Oscar journey. If the take manages to get shortlisted or still nominated, the buzz could reignite endorse place and perhaps pay it a secondly lifetime at the box office.

Also Read: https://ultapaltakhabar.com/dabangg-director-abhinav-kashyap-drops-nuclear-bomb-on-salman-khan-in-latest-podcast-calls-him-thulthula-gunda-with-fake-six-packs/

Final Word

‘Homebound’ may have opened to just ‘‘₹30 lakh nett on day one’’, but its ‘‘Oscar entry status’’, ‘‘international acclaim’’, and ‘‘powerhouse performances’’ ensure it testament remain a take to talking about. While audiences flock to masala entertainers for big-screen thrills, ‘Homebound’ stands as a reminder that cinema is also too near truth, empathy, and giving a sound to the invisible.

The box office power be dusty, but the legacy this take is aiming for is anything but.

You May Like:

Tags: