Desi Talk

www.desitalk.com – that’s all you need to know India’s Oscar Entry ‘Homebound’ Tells True Story Of Hardships And Hopes A decade after making his feature film debut with acclaimed drama “Masaan”, Indian director Neeraj Ghaywan returns with a second movie that seeks to give a voice to people who feel invisible. Based on true events, “Homebound” tells the story of two childhood friends from a northern Indian village whose sights are set on police officer jobs they believe will improve their standing in the world. Shoaib, a Muslim, and Chandan, a Dalit, once called “untouchables”, are among the 2.5 million applicants com- peting for 3,500 jobs in the police. Their bond gets tested during the wait for the entrance exam results, as each weighs his prospects, under pressure to support their families. Inspired by Basharat Peer’s 2020 New York Times article “Taking Amrit home”, the film also looks at the plight of the country’s large migrant population and the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I saw big potential in speaking about a lot of things that contemporary India is shying away from showing in mainstream spaces, especially the marginalised com- munity people, who are often looked at only in statistics,” Ghaywan said. Depicting the social issues and the discrimination the two friends face made the project personal for Ghaywan, who included his own experiences of growing up as a Dalit in the film. “I masqueraded myself as an upper caste member for a very long time and it created a lot of fear, a lot of anxiety inside me. I worked through that shame for a very long time and then put it behind me when I publicly came out with my iden- tity,” Ghaywan, 45, said. Ahead of filming, actors Ishaan Khatter (Shoaib) and Vishal Jethwa (Chandan) spent time in northern India’s Barabanki, with locals inviting them into their homes and sharing their meals. “This film, in many ways, is the story of millions of Shoaibs and millions of Chandans and that is what we try to stay true to,” Khatter said. It was selected as India’s contender for best international feature film at the 98th Academy Awards – a country by country list that gets whittled down to the five Oscar nominees. “Homebound”, which is executive produced by Martin Scorsese, is stream- ing on Netflix. -Reuters By Hanna Rantala PHOTO:REUTERS/SARAH MEYSSONNIER/FILE PHOTO PHOTO:REUTERS/STEPHANE MAHE/FILE PHOTO Director Neeraj Ghaywan and cast members Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, Janhvi Kapoor and producer Karan Johar pose during a photocall for the film “Homebound” in competition for the category Un Certain Regard at the 78th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 21, 2025. Director Neeraj Ghaywan poses during a photocall for the film “Homebound” in competition for the category Un Certain Regard at the 78th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 21, 2025. 27 ENTERTAINMENT December 19, 2025 Netflix poster on new season of the Kapil Sharma show. B ollywood actress Priyanka Chopra is set to arrive as the first guest in the upcoming fourth season of ‘The Great Indian Kapil Show’ on December 20, 2025, on Netflix. From playful banter to hilarious fun activities, Kapil Sharma and Priyanka’s on-set chemistry has often turned into a full-blown laughter ride for audiences, as seen in previous episodes of Kapil Sharma’s comedy shows. On Monday, December 15, Netflix India shared the new look poster of ‘The Great Indian Kapil Show’ featuring Kapil Sharma and Priyanka Chopra on their Instagram handle. They wrote, “When the desi girl arrives, things get Pri-etty humor- ous. Watch Priyanka Chopra in the premiere episode of The Great Indian Kapil Show’s new season, streaming from 20th December, at 8 PM, only on Netflix.” The new season is expected to elevate a notch higher as Kapil steps into multiple fresh avatars from GenZ Baba and Tau ji to Raja and Mantri Ji, comprising a range of char- acters designed for every age group. The new season of ‘The Great In- dian Kapil Show’ brings an exciting, truly unexpected guest lineup to the stage, featuringWorld Cup cham- pions and global superstars, Gen Z icons, Bhojpuri stars, and more. Joining him in this comedy extravaganza is his beloved parivaar that audiences return to season after season. It includes Sunil Grover, Krushna Abhishek, Kiku Sharda and others. Cricketer Navjot Singh Siddhu and actress Archana Puran Singh are set to join Kapil Sharma’s “mastiverse” on the show. Talking about the new season and his many avatars, Kapil Sharma shares, “Har baar lagta hai ki ab toh sab kar liya, naye season me kya karunga, lekin phir aapka pyaar aur aapki umeed mujhe kuch naya karne ka rasta dikha deti hai, iss baar bhi aap hi ki ummeedo ne mujhe bahut se naye kirdar aur sath hi wo kirdaar jo aapko humesha se pasand aaye hain, unhe nibhaane ka rasta dikhaya hai … toh aapke liye comedy ke wo saare avtaar lekar aa raha hoon Netflix par, season 4 me … jo hoga comedy ke universe ka multiverse yani mastiverse (Every time I feel like I’ve done everything, and wonder what I’ll do in the new season, but then your love and your expectations show me the way to do something new. This time too, your expectations have guided me towards playing many new characters, as well as those characters that you’ve always loved… So, I’m bringing all those avatars of comedy for you on Netflix, in Season 4…which will be the mul- tiverse of the comedy universe, or rather, the mastiverse!),” as quoted in the press note. The show will stream on Netflix. -ANI Priyanka Chopra To Arrive As First Guest At ‘The Great Indian Kapil Show’ Season 4 PHOTO: INSTAGRAM @NETFLIXVIA ANI