Gurinder Chadha Champions ‘Homebound’ for Oscars, Jests About Karan Johar’s Influence

December 22, 2025

Gurinder Chadha Champions ‘Homebound’ for Oscars, Jests About Karan Johar’s Influence

Acclaimed filmmaker Gurinder Chadha is optimistic about Neeraj Ghaywan’s ‘Homebound’ potentially winning an Oscar at the 98th Academy Awards. The film, which is India’s official selection, has made it to the shortlist in the International Feature Film category. Chadha hosted a special screening in London as part of the film’s promotional tour. Karan Johar, Ishaan Khatter, and Vishal Jethwa also attended the screening.

Chadha expressed her support for ‘Homebound,’ hoping it will bring the Oscar home and make India proud. During the media interaction, Chadha mentioned her long-standing friendship with Karan Johar, recalling how he asked her to host the London screening, to which she readily agreed.

Chadha praised ‘Homebound’ for its universal quality, noting how it reflected the shared experience of connection during the coronavirus pandemic. She lauded Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions for backing a film like ‘Homebound,’ acknowledging it as a significant move. She jokingly asked Neeraj Ghaywan if Karan had ever interfered with his vision by suggesting the inclusion of music from ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’.

Chadha fondly recounted her decades-long friendship with Johar, tracing it back to the Cannes International Film Festival where she met him and his father, Yash Johar. She humorously described their Punjabi connection, recalling Yash Johar’s encouraging reaction to ‘Bend It Like Beckham’.