The highly praised film Homebound, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, released its trailer on Wednesday for Indian audiences. The movie, which premiered at Cannes and won an award at the Toronto International Film Festival, is a moving story about two friends who face caste and communal discrimination while trying to achieve their dream of becoming police officers.

The trailer shows two friends in rural India, Mohammad Shoaib, played by Ishaan Khatter, and Chandan Kumar, played by Vishal Jethwa, as they prepare for police recruitment exams. Shoaib, employed as an office boy in an MNC, experiences discrimination due to his religion, while Chandan, a Dalit, is subjected to caste-based insults. Both individuals believe that securing a government job, especially one involving a uniform, will enable them to gain the respect that society has not given them. Janhvi Kapoor is also featured in the film, playing a friend to the two, a young PhD aspirant who is also dealing with her own set of restrictions.

Dharma Productions, the studio backing the film, shared the trailer on their YouTube channel and social media platforms. Fans were moved by it, finding it both touching and somewhat jarring. A comment read, “My God. All are too good… batana mushkil hai kisne jyada acha kaam kia hai (It’s difficult to say who has done better).” Another fan added, “Cried while watching this trailer! As an aspiring filmmaker from a middle-class family after being rejected from film school, I can relate a lot. It’s so inspiring to see this kind of film, stories, and filmmakers are getting celebrated!”