The COVID-19 pandemic collapsed systems across the world, but its deepest wounds were carved into the lives of India’s migrant workers. Governance halted, transportation stopped, employment vanished—yet life did not stop. Thousands set out on foot, driven by fear of an uncertain tomorrow, the hope of reuniting with their families, and the gnawing pain of hunger. Many stories were born on these long roads—some highlighted, many forgotten. But the story of two friends from Uttar Pradesh’s Basti district became a mirror reflecting humanity, friendship, and harsh social realities back to the world.
Director Neeraj Ghaywan brought this story to the screen through Homebound, and today this cinematic re-creation has reached the stage of the Oscars. The real story belongs to Mohammad Saiyyab and Amrit Prasad from Devari village, who worked as labourers in a Surat textile factory. On 24 March 2020, the sudden nationwide lockdown announced by the Prime Minister brought everything crashing down. No work, no income, no place to stay—like thousands of other migrants, these two friends were left abandoned overnight.
When hunger and memories of home strike together, a person has no choice but to turn back. Saiyyab and Amrit did the same. But their road home was far from easy. With public transport shut, food and water scarce, police blockades on highways, and the looming fear of disease, their journey became a test of their bond.
Carrying small bags, walking under the burning sun on blistering asphalt, their struggle became symbolic of the plight of millions. After walking many kilometres, they found a truck near Shivpuri and climbed aboard, hoping to rest. But Amrit soon developed fever and cough symptoms—at the time seen as a shadow of death. Fearing infection, other labourers insisted that he be removed. At that moment, Saiyyab refused to abandon him. “He is my friend,” was all he said.
He stepped down from the truck with Amrit and sat by the roadside, holding his friend’s head in his lap, wiping his sweat, trying to calm him. A passer-by captured this heart-breaking moment, and that single photograph changed the narrative of migrant suffering in India. It showed Saiyyab gently wiping Amrit’s face—a frame that captured fear, love, and helplessness all at once.
The photo reached New York Times journalist Basharat Peer, who wrote a heart-wrenching piece titled Take Amrit Home. Their story crossed borders and became a global symbol of the human cost of the pandemic.
Local volunteers helped take both men to Jhansi Hospital, but Amrit’s condition had deteriorated too much. Despite efforts, he passed away within hours. His death was not merely the loss of a friend—it mirrored the silent, collective grief of countless families in that era.
Saiyyab carried out his final duty. Despite restrictions, he brought Amrit’s body back to the village. The community and the country recognized the value of their bond—an example of humanity shining even in the darkest of times.
A Cinematic Reimagining
Neeraj Ghaywan, known for sensitive films like Masaan, decided to bring this true story to the screen. In Homebound, he avoids melodrama and instead uses restrained, realistic visuals to portray pain, struggle, and hope. Under the banner of Dharma Productions, Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor deliver deeply authentic performances. Their expressions of exhaustion, fear, and loyalty reach straight into the audience’s heart.
The film expands beyond the incident to explore deeper social truths. Its protagonists, Chandan Valmiki and Shoaib Malik, are not just individuals—they represent Dalit and Muslim communities in modern India. In a society where systems crush dignity, dreams, and democratic rights, the film shows how caste and religion can predetermine one’s fate.
Chandan, a Dalit, has endured centuries of structural humiliation. Shoaib, a Muslim youth, faces similar or sometimes worse discrimination in the current socio-political climate. In India, being a Valmiki or a Muslim is often enough to decide one’s destiny—and being born into a poor working-class family only intensifies these barriers.
Ghaywan understands this reality deeply: if you are Dalit, Muslim, and working-class, most pathways are closed. Every attempt to rise is attacked by an entrenched system of caste-religious-class privilege. The film captures this crushing reality with painful honesty.
Friendship, Dreams, and Loss
Chandan and Shoaib grow up together as close friends, studying, sharing meals, and supporting each other. Their dream is simple: to join the police force. They hope that becoming officers will free them from the daily humiliation tied to their caste and religious identities, allowing them to reclaim dignity and respect.
But systemic hurdles continue to defeat them. When dreams shatter, the two migrate to Gujarat as labourers. Just as their lives begin to find rhythm—Chandan’s house construction begins, Shoaib saves for his father’s surgery—the pandemic strikes, and tragedy unfolds on the journey home. Chandan dies in Shoaib’s arms during the 1,200-kilometre trek.
The film also depicts other forms of everyday discrimination. Shoaib’s later experience in a private company, where celebrations of an India-Pakistan match trigger casual but vicious religious targeting, forces him to quit despite his competence. These micro-aggressions, treated as normal by many, become unbearable for those who endure them.
While there are moments of joy, hope, and love—especially through Chandan’s relationship with Sudha—the film remains rooted in realism. Sudha’s character, however, feels underdeveloped, serving mainly to highlight Chandan’s humanity.
A Systemic Indictment
One of the film’s artistic strengths lies in its refusal to portray individuals as villains or heroes. Instead, it indicts the entire system—sociological, economic, and cultural—that determines destinies based on caste, class, and religion. Chandan and Shoaib are not victims of a few bad individuals but of an entire social order.
The film does not rely on sensationalism or rare incidents. It depicts the everyday realities of Dalit and Muslim life—experiences so normalized that society barely notices their cruelty. By centering ordinary young men, the film becomes accessible to all, not just intellectual audiences.
With the exception of Janhvi Kapoor’s brief appearance, the film avoids star power. Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa blend into their characters seamlessly, allowing the story to remain authentic and grounded.
Neeraj Ghaywan successfully captures the deeply interwoven nature of caste, religion, and class in shaping a person’s life and destiny.
Towards the Oscars
Homebound has now been selected as India’s official entry for the 2026 Oscars (98th Academy Awards) in the Best International Feature Film category. A win would not only honour the filmmaker and the team but also give Indian cinema—and the nation—a moment of collective pride.
Comments