Just when you thought Martin Scorsese’s unexpected The Studio cameo was the peak of surprises, the legendary director has delivered an even bigger curveball. Scorsese is officially making his Bollywood debut — no, not in front of the camera, but as an executive producer on Neeraj Ghaywan’s second feature film Homebound, right before its big premiere at the Cannes Film Festival next month!
The news broke today when producer Karan Johar dropped the bombshell on Instagram, posting a heartfelt note penned by Scorsese himself. In it, the Wolf of Wall Street (2013) director couldn’t stop praising Ghaywan’s work. “I have seen Neeraj’s first film Masaan in 2015 and I loved it,” Scorsese wrote. “So when Melita Toscan du Plantier sent me the project of his second film, I was curious. I loved the story, the culture, and was willing to help. Neeraj has made a beautifully crafted film that’s a significant contribution to Indian Cinema. I am glad the movie is an official selection at Un Certain Regard in Cannes this year.”
Ghaywan, still reeling from the surreal experience, shared his excitement on social media, calling the collaboration an “honour beyond words.” He added, “(It) is an honour beyond words. I’m deeply grateful to our co-producer Melita Toscan, who introduced us to him. Mr. Scorsese mentored us through the screenplay and multiple rounds of editing. He listened with care, understood the cultural context, and offered thoughtful, incisive notes each time. His kindness and commitment are extraordinary, and to have him nurture our film has been both a rare privilege and a profoundly humbling experience!”
The internet is losing it
The announcement has sent shockwaves across Bollywood and beyond, with a slew of celebrities chiming in with their congratulations. Designer Manish Malhotra wrote, “Wowwwww congratulations ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️,” while actor Vikrant Massey simply dropped a heart and evil eye emoji, “♥️🧿.” Filmmaker Zoya Akhtar joined the party with a string of fire and heart emojis: “❤️❤️❤️🔥🔥🔥.”
Cinema lovers were just as emotional, with comments like, “What a great honour and endorsement. Bravo!,” and, “This is the kind of news that excites us all cinema lovers! Congratulations and all the best! Looking forward to the chance to watch this film!” One fan summed it up perfectly, “Congrats Neeraj bhai, big fan of yours and @varungrover. You both bring a certain freshness and make my generation a lot more ‘hopeful’ and ‘khushhaal’.”
What’s Homebound about?
While the plot remains tightly under wraps, we do know that Homebound boasts an exciting cast: Ishaan Khatter, Janhvi Kapoor, and Vishal Jethwa are headlining the project. The script was penned by Neeraj Ghaywan along with Sumit Roy, and the film is backed by none other than Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions.
Sharing his excitement, Johar wrote in the caption of his post, “Homebound is an extraordinary confluence of talent, vision, and storytelling at its finest. Having @martinscorsese_ , a true legend of cinema, lend his wisdom and support to Neeraj’s remarkable vision elevates our film to a rare artistic height. With an incredibly gifted cast and the prestigious stage of Cannes, we eagerly look forward to sharing Homebound’s powerful story with audiences around the world!”
Catch Homebound when it makes its world premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, taking place from May 13 to 24. With Scorsese in its corner, you know it’s going to be something special!
