Academy Awards contender 'Homebound' brings together two cinematic heavyweights: director Neeraj Ghaywan and legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese. The conversation, which took place after a New York screening of the film, offers a rare glimpse into the development of the project.
Three years in the making, 'Homebound' is an intimate exploration of the lives of migrant laborers during the pandemic. According to Scorsese, he first became involved with the project while working on "Killers of the Flower Moon," and his involvement was kept confidential until the film's completion. Ghaywan credits French cinema icon Melita Toscan Du Plantier, who produced his previous film "Masaan" and co-produced 'Homebound,' as a source of inspiration for his work.
Ghaywan described Scorsese as his "Cinema Fairy Godmother," and their conversation revealed a deep mutual respect for each other's craft. The production team used the code word "elder brother" to refer to Scorsese throughout development, maintaining his secrecy until the final edit. Ghaywan praised Scorsese, saying that sitting across from him was the highest peak of his cinematic career.
Scorsese expressed satisfaction with the finished film, citing its real-life origins as a major draw for audiences in America. The film is based on a New York Times essay by Basharat Peer about Mohammad Saiyub and Amrit Kumar, and Ghaywan focused on universal themes of migration and dignity rather than delivering a lecture. According to Scorsese, the film's message is one that resonates with audiences worldwide.
"Homebound" follows two friends navigating their country as migrant laborers during the pandemic, testing their friendship while pursuing dignity and belonging. The conversation between Ghaywan and Scorsese offers a rare insight into the making of this powerful film, which now finds itself in contention for an Academy Award.
Three years in the making, 'Homebound' is an intimate exploration of the lives of migrant laborers during the pandemic. According to Scorsese, he first became involved with the project while working on "Killers of the Flower Moon," and his involvement was kept confidential until the film's completion. Ghaywan credits French cinema icon Melita Toscan Du Plantier, who produced his previous film "Masaan" and co-produced 'Homebound,' as a source of inspiration for his work.
Ghaywan described Scorsese as his "Cinema Fairy Godmother," and their conversation revealed a deep mutual respect for each other's craft. The production team used the code word "elder brother" to refer to Scorsese throughout development, maintaining his secrecy until the final edit. Ghaywan praised Scorsese, saying that sitting across from him was the highest peak of his cinematic career.
Scorsese expressed satisfaction with the finished film, citing its real-life origins as a major draw for audiences in America. The film is based on a New York Times essay by Basharat Peer about Mohammad Saiyub and Amrit Kumar, and Ghaywan focused on universal themes of migration and dignity rather than delivering a lecture. According to Scorsese, the film's message is one that resonates with audiences worldwide.
"Homebound" follows two friends navigating their country as migrant laborers during the pandemic, testing their friendship while pursuing dignity and belonging. The conversation between Ghaywan and Scorsese offers a rare insight into the making of this powerful film, which now finds itself in contention for an Academy Award.
It's so cool to see these two cinematic giants come together, Neeraj Ghaywan and Martin Scorsese! 
They're like, total opposites in terms of style and vibe, but it sounds like they really connected on this project. I love how Ghaywan describes Scorsese as his "Cinema Fairy Godmother" 
- that's so sweet! And can you believe Scorsese kept his involvement a secret until the film was done? 
It must have been a nerve-wracking experience for everyone involved, but it sounds like it all paid off in the end. I'm intrigued by the story too - migrant laborers during the pandemic is such an important topic, and I love how Ghaywan focused on universal themes of migration and dignity instead of being preachy. Fingers crossed it wins that Oscar! 
It's like a dream come true! I'm so excited to see how they brought this powerful story to life about migrant laborers during the pandemic. The fact that Scorsese kept his involvement under wraps until now is just mind-blowing 
. I love how Ghaywan credits Melita Toscan Du Plantier as an inspiration, it's amazing to see how women in film are supporting each other 
Can't wait to see what the Academy has to say about this film 
). I love how Ghaywan describes him as his "Cinema Fairy Godmother" - that's some next level admiration right there! What I find really interesting is how they've stayed true to their vision despite all the challenges, and it shows in the film. It's definitely giving me hope for more movies like this one 
- Oprah Winfrey
. The fact that they had this deep conversation and still managed to make a film that's resonating with audiences worldwide? That's what I call magic 
. And I love how Ghaywan is giving credit where credit is due - Melita Toscan Du Plantier is definitely an inspiration for him 
. But let's get real, 'Homebound' would've been fine without Scorsese... it's not like he's the reason it's getting all this attention 
. The fact that they were able to create something so beautiful from a real-life story is just amazing. I can only imagine how hard they must have worked to get everything just right, but it was worth it because the end result is truly special 
. I love how they focused on universal themes of migration and dignity rather than just telling a story about migrant laborers, that's what makes 'Homebound' so powerful and relatable 
. It's going to be interesting to see which way the Academy voters go, but either way, this film is already a winner in my eyes 
just trying to make ends meet and find my "home" in this crazy world. anyway, back to 'Homebound'... i loved seeing the conversation between Ghaywan and Scorsese, it's clear they have a deep respect for each other's work 
. love how Ghaywan kept the focus on universal themes instead of just telling a story about migrant laborers... feels like a real reflection of our world right now 
. I mean, who wouldn't want to see Martin Scorsese and Neeraj Ghaywan working together on a project? It's like the ultimate filmmaking dream come true 
. I'm def intrigued by this film and can't wait to see how it plays out in the Academy Awards 
Meanwhile, Scorsese's highest-grossing film is 'Gangs of New York', which raked in over $130m worldwide 
. The film's score is inspired by Indian classical music - fun fact! 
Scorsese and Ghaywan's collaboration is a win-win for cinema; both directors have a combined 18 Oscars between them 
. Did Scorsese actually direct some of this film or was he more of a creative consultant? The NYT essay is the real draw here and not just because Scorsese said so 
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scorsese is like a cinema god or something, i need to see this film ASAP 
the fact that they worked together for 3 years in secret is insane 
ghaywan said scorsese is his "cinema fairy godmother" lol what's not to love about that 
Neeraj Ghaywan and Martin Scorsese collab is like the ultimate cinematic dream come true! 
. The fact that 'Homebound' is based on a real-life New York Times essay makes it all the more compelling. I'm intrigued by Ghaywan's approach to focusing on universal themes rather than lecturing audiences - I hope he's able to balance the two effectively. Can't wait to see what the Academy has in store for this film! 
. But seriously, it's cool that he finally joined Neeraj Ghaywan on 'Homebound'. Their conversation does sound like a masterclass 
. It's awesome that they're pushing for universal themes instead of just preaching about migrant laborers 
?
i think it's dope that they brought their vision together and made something so raw and real. i'm a big fan of ghaywan's storytelling with 'masaan', but this collab is on another level 
, it just adds to the mystique of the film. i love how ghaywan credits melita toscan du plantier as an inspiration for his work too 
! and can we talk about scorsese's praise of ghaywan - sitting across from him was literally the highest peak of his career 
?! i'm all in on 'Homebound' now, it sounds like a game changer