Hyderabad: 

The Homebound premiere at Cannes' Debussy Theatre was attended by the director himself alongside lead cast members Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor. The team was also joined by producer Karan Johar and Dharma Productions' executives Apoorva Mehta and Somen Mishra.

Homebound marks Ghaywan's second feature film, following his acclaimed debut Masaan in 2015. Interestingly, both Masaan and Homebound share a unique bond - they premiered at Cannes under the Un Certain Regard category and share the same co-producer, Melita Toscan Du Plantier. As Homebound continues to make waves on the international circuit, here's a look back at some of Neeraj Ghaywan's major works - spanning short films, web series, and features - that showcase his distinct voice, often rooted in realism, social commentary, and emotional nuance.

Filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan has once again captured international attention with the premiere of his latest feature film, Homebound, which was screened at the 78th Cannes Film Festival. The movie, featured in the Un Certain Regard segment, received a nine-minute standing ovation from the audience.

Masaan (2015):

Ghaywan's first directorial debut (for a feature film), Masaan, is an exploration of grief, love and redemption in the holy city of Varanasi. This film centres around four people, whose lives intersect along the banks of the Ganges as they deal with tragedy. The film, which marks Bollywood actor Vicky Kaushal's first in the lead role, also stars Richa Chadha, Shweta Tripathi, Pankaj Tripathi, and Sanjay Mishra. Masaan had its world premiere at Cannes' Un Certain Regard and won both the Fipresci Prize and Promising Future Award.

Ajeeb Daastaans - Geeli Pucchi (2021):

Before Homebound, Ghaywan and Johar had previously worked together in Ajeeb Daastaans (2021), a Netflix anthology film backed by Dharma Productions. Ghaywan's short story, Geeli Pucchi, starring actors Konkona Sen Sharma and Aditi Rao Hydari, was considered the strongest of the four stories. The plot revolves around the non-platonic but undeclared relationship between two women from different backgrounds. It weaves through the themes of caste, privilege, and sexuality.

The Epiphany (Short Film):

Ghaywan also contributed to India: A Visual Journey, a collective project under the guidance of Anurag Kashyap, with his short film The Epiphany. The story follows a divorced couple returning from a college reunion in Pune who end up helping an elderly woman and a wounded boy on the highway. The encounter sparks a clash of cultural values, social class, and lingering emotional scars. Ghaywan describes the film as a reflection of India's secular spirit and the silent camaraderie that often surfaces during times of crisis.

Juice (2017):

Among Ghaywan's most impactful short films is Juice, a 14-minute story set during a family get-together on a sweltering evening. Starring Shefali Shah as Manju Singh, the film subtly yet powerfully critiques gender roles and domestic patriarchy, as the men relax in the living room while the women toil in the kitchen. Juice won accolades at the 63rd Filmfare Awards, including Best Short Film (Fiction) and Best Actress in a Short Film for Shah.

Sacred Games - Season 2:

Ghaywan served as co-director in the second season of India's first Netflix original series. Sacred Games is a neo-noir crime thriller television series adapted from Vikram Chandra's novel of the same name, released in 2006. The series depicts Sartaj Singh (Saif Ali Khan), a conflicted Mumbai police officer who gets a phone call from gangster Ganesh Gaitonde (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), who tells him he needs to save the city in 25 days. As the series progresses, it details what happens after this foreboding call.

Made In Heaven - Season 2:

Ghaywan directed two episodes from season two of this wedding-themed hit series - And They Lived Happily Ever After, and The Heart Skipped A Beat. Ghaywan was an episodic director for the second season of the Amazon Prime Video series Made In Heaven. The series, which has found major success with streaming audiences and critics, had its season 2 debut in August 2023. The show is a departure from the stylistic themes of his previous work, with a lavish look and feel set against the backdrop of big Indian weddings.

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