Neeraj Ghaywan, director of ‘Homebound’, India’s official Oscar entry, has spoken out in support of Karan Johar after the producer faced heavy criticism for his comments. Earlier this month, Karan said he now weighs profitability in every project and admitted he wasn’t sure if a film like ‘Homebound’ would be made again. His words sparked an online debate, with many accusing him of putting business before creativity.
Neeraj Ghaywan shares heartbreak over criticism
In an interview with Lallantop Cinema, Neeraj clarified the real meaning behind Karan’s remarks and said the public reaction had left him disturbed.Talking about the backlash, Neeraj said, “See, he has such a big production banner, he’s such a big producer, he doesn’t need to back a film like this. He was fully aware that the film wouldn’t be a blockbuster or make profits for him. But the emotional ethos of the story touched him, and that’s why he chose to support it. He used to say that he just wanted to be part of it in some way. Now, to see people questioning his honesty and casting aspersions on him really breaks my heart.” He highlighted that Karan’s decision to back the film came from emotion and storytelling, not commercial interest.
Neeraj Ghaywan warns misquoting can harm morale
Neeraj further continued, “Presenting what he said somewhere by completely misquoting and misconstruing it can totally break his morale. It undervalues the contribution he’s made to the film. I’m very disturbed by all this. This is such a big moment, a leading banner like his, deciding to produce a sensitive film like this with an independent filmmaker. We should actually pat their backs for doing this and encourage more such collaborations. But if we continue to react this way, it will only break their spirit, and such films won’t be made in the future. I request everyone to think about this and understand that what he said has been completely flipped around.”
What exactly did Karan Johar say?
In a chat with Komal Nahta on his YouTube channel Game Changers, KJo said, “Now, you have to take every decision with profitability. It is very important to be profitable. We are a commercial enterprise. I made Homebound, which was critically acclaimed worldwide, but I can’t say if I’ll take such decisions in the future or not. I will feel upset, but I chose this deal for a reason, growth. Growth comes from profit, and profit comes from profitability. I will always be artistic, but it is important to be commercial as well.”Neeraj explained that these remarks were from a business perspective and not a refusal to back films like ‘Homebound’ in the future.
Karan Johar clarified his remarks on Instagram
After the online backlash, Karan shared a note on Instagram on 10 October, asking people not to misinterpret his words. He wrote, “It was an academic chat on the business of our movies… I am and will always be exceptionally proud of Homebound. It will always shine in our repertoire of films as one of our finest and most sensitively performed and directed works.”
About ‘Homebound’
Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, ‘Homebound’ premiered at the Cannes Film Festival this year and received a nine-minute standing ovation. The film stars Ishaan Khatter, Janhvi Kapoor, and Vishal Jethwa and released in cinemas on 26 September 2025. While it was praised for its storytelling and performances, ‘Homebound’ struggled commercially, collecting just Rs 2.65 crore worldwide, according to Sacnilk. Go to Source
