Oscar Hopeful Finds Its Footing: Homebound Sees Box Office Uptick on Day 2

India’s official entry for the 2026 Oscars, Homebound, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, is slowly gaining traction at the domestic box office after a modest opening. The film, which stars Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor, earned ₹30 lakh on its first day and saw a jump to ₹50 lakh on day two, bringing its total to ₹80 lakh.

Key highlights from the box office performance:

1. Despite critical acclaim and international buzz, the film opened to lukewarm response in India  
2. Day 2 collections showed a 66 percent growth, indicating positive word-of-mouth  
3. The film recorded a Hindi occupancy rate of 17.12 percent on Saturday, with morning shows as low as 10.35 percent  
4. Compared to Ishaan’s previous films like Dhadak (₹11.04 crore on day two) and Phone Bhoot (₹2.75 crore), Homebound’s numbers remain modest  

About the film:

- Homebound explores the friendship between a Muslim and a Dalit from a small North Indian village, both aspiring to become police officers  
- Inspired by Basharat Peer's article Taking Amrit Home, the film delves into caste, migration, and pandemic-era struggles  
- Martin Scorsese serves as executive producer, with production by Karan Johar and Adar Poonawalla  
- The film premiered at Cannes and was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival  

Industry outlook:

- Trade analysts cite limited screen count and weak overseas response as factors behind the slow start  
- The coming weekdays will be crucial for building momentum ahead of awards season  

Sources: Hindustan Times, India Today, Times of India, MSN India