Ishaan Khatter, who is earning praise for his performance in Homebound—India’s official entry to the Oscars 2026—recently spoke about his journey as an actor and the experience of working on a powerful film like this. In an interview with NDTV, the actor reflected on the contrast between his roles in the international series The Royals and the socially rooted Homebound. When asked about the transition between such drastically different projects, Ishaan simply said, “It’s the job.” He added with a smile, “The pay cheque helped.”
Ishaan Khatter opens up on Homebound, acting process, and working: “Acting is about living many lives”
The Immersion is the Most Exciting Part
Ishaan spoke about his approach to acting and why immersing himself fully into a character is important. “That’s the fun of doing what we do. And for me, I’ve always felt that if you’re not immersing yourself fully, it’s an opportunity lost, because who knows when you’ll get another chance.” He continued, “A lot of actors have this ‘keeda’—you get to live so many lives on screen in one lifetime. At least you get to experience the flavour of them. The immersion is the most exciting part of this vocation.”
He also credited director Neeraj Ghaywan for creating an environment that encourages complete dedication to the role. “Luckily, you have a director like Neeraj bhai who really pushes the actors to give themselves completely to a role—not just use your craft shrewdly, but really try and live it, to give something of yourself to the character.”
I Don’t Like to Romanticise the Process
Speaking on the emotional and psychological impact of such roles, Ishaan added: “That’s when you come out of an experience changed. That’s when you feel like you’ve received parts of the character that you’ll carry with you for the rest of your life. I don’t like to romanticise the process too much, but the truth is, when you live as somebody else for a few months, it enters your consciousness.”
He also shared how meaningful the film was to him: “I couldn’t be prouder. We got to be part of a story like this. I always had the ambition to be part of films that move people—but more importantly, films that mean something. That really stir something within the audience. Homebound, by far, is objectively the best film of my career so far.”
About Homebound
Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, Homebound is inspired by journalist Basharat Peer’s article Taking Amrit Home (also published as A Friendship, a Pandemic and a Death Beside the Highway). The story follows two childhood friends—a Muslim and a Dalit—who dream of joining the police force to reclaim the dignity denied to them because of their surnames.
The film is produced by Karan Johar and Adar Poonawalla, with Martin Scorsese serving as executive producer. After premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, Homebound also received critical acclaim at the Toronto International Film Festival.
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