Ishaan Khatter’s Homebound, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, has earned a prestigious milestone as India’s official entry for the Best International Feature category at the Academy Awards next year. In the film, Ishaan plays Shoaib, a young Muslim boy pushed to the margins of society, who shares a deep and unbreakable bond with Chandan, portrayed by Vishal Jethwa, a Dalit boy navigating similar struggles.

Ishaan Khatter puts humanity over religion; says he is “partly-Hindu, partly-Muslim” but “fully human”

Ishaan’s personal journey, much like his character’s, reflects the complexities and richness of India’s cultural fabric. Born to actor Neelima Azeem and a Hindu father, Rajesh Khattar, and raised in an interfaith home, Ishaan grew up embracing multiple traditions. He is also the half-brother of actor Shahid Kapoor. Speaking to Barkha Dutt for Mojo Story, he said, “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.”

For Ishaan, this pluralism is deeply embedded in India’s identity and is its greatest asset. “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,” he added.

Hoping that India continues to preserve this ethos, Ishaan reflected on the spirit of Homebound. “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,” he said.

He also emphasised that the narrative extends beyond a Hindu–Muslim friendship. “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 added.

Proud of the film’s approach, Ishaan praised its intention to spark dialogue rather than provoke. “This film is not an argument, but a conversation. I think we can all use more conversations,” he said. While discussing his own interfaith identity, he stated that he may be “partly-Hindu and partly-Muslim” but above all, he is “fully human.”

Homebound, backed by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions, also stars Janhvi Kapoor and has Hollywood icon Martin Scorsese onboard as Executive Producer. Co-written by Neeraj Ghaywan and Sumit Roy, the film draws inspiration from Bashrat Peer’s 2020 New York Times column, “A Friendship, A Pandemic, and a Death Beside the Highway.”

Also Read : Homebound set to stream on Netflix: India’s Oscar entry begins its global journey