Ishaan Khatter received a lot of praise for his role in Neeraj Ghaywan’s ‘Homebound’. The film is India’s official entry for the Best International Feature category at next year’s Academy Awards, and his powerful performance as Shoaib has become one of the most talked-about parts of the story.
Ishaan Khatter reflects on multicultural family background
Ishaan understands the film’s themes deeply because of his own upbringing. Raised by his mother, actor Neelima Azeem, and born to a Hindu father, Rajesh Khattar, he grew up surrounded by many cultural and religious influences. He is also the half-brother of actor Shahid Kapoor.Sharing this experience, he told Barkha Dutt in an interview for Mojo Story, “For me, that’s my idea of India, actually. When you’re raised in a household that is, for the lack of another word, pluralistic, secular or just open, liberal, you grow up, like I did, going to mandirs, masjids, churches, and all of them, trying to imbibe the beauty of all of these religions, cultures, and faiths.”
Ishaan Khatter sees pluralism as country’s strength
For Ishaan, diversity is India’s true strength. He believes the country thrives because people from different faiths, cultures and beliefs can co-exist and contribute in their own unique ways.He said,“We’re such a high functioning democracy in that sense. When you go to a place like New York or London, you realize it’s a cultural hub or a melting pot with so many different cultures. That’s probably the progressive way to be. That allows for so much growth in society, just to be able to have different perspectives and different people bringing in different strengths.”
Ishaan hopes India protects its openness
Ishaan feels this spirit of coexistence is something India naturally carries within its core. He hopes people will continue to nurture it and not let differences divide them.He added, “That’s something beautiful about our country. We have this within our grain naturally. It’s not been enforced. I really hope we can hold on to that because it’s beautiful and symbolic the way they’ve shown the friendship in the film. It’s a quiet act of resistance just by itself. Connection is a form of resistance when systems try to push you out or into the margins.”
Film portrays deeper marginalised experiences
While the film may appear to focus on Hindu–Muslim dynamics, Ishaan points out that its message is broader. As he said, “It’s a story of two marginalized boys who are able to empathise with and understand each other in a way that other people wouldn’t, who don’t have the same obstacles in life. So, I’m glad it’s adding to a conversation because that’s the only way to move forward.”He further added,“This film is not an argument, but a conversation. I think we can all use more conversations.”
Actor highlights humanity beyond all labels
When speaking about identity, Ishaan says he may come from a Hindu and Muslim background, but ultimately, humanity is what matters most to him. In his words, he is,“fully human.”
About ‘Homebound’
‘Homebound’ tells the story of Shoaib and Chandan, played by Vishal Jethwa. Both boys come from marginalised communities, and their friendship becomes a quiet form of resistance in a world that often sidelines them. The film was released in theaters on September 26, 2025 and is now available to watch on Netflix. Go to Source
