Legendary American filmmaker Martin Scorsese has come on board as executive producer for Masaan director Neeraj Ghaywan’s next film Homebound. The news was announced by Ghaywan on Saturday and it got the film community excited just weeks before the movie’s world premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival under the prestigious Un Certain Regard section.
Ghaywan, whose 2015 debut Masaan won acclaim at Cannes, said he is “still in disbelief” that Scorsese, a titan behind masterpieces like Taxi Driver and Goodfellas, is backing his second feature. Sharing the news on social media, Ghaywan wrote, “It is an honour beyond words… Mr. Scorsese mentored us through the screenplay and multiple rounds of editing. His kindness, commitment and thoughtful guidance have been both a rare privilege and a profoundly humbling experience.”
Scorsese, 82, expressed his admiration for Ghaywan’s earlier work, stating that after being introduced to Homebound by co-producer Melita Toscan du Plantier, he was instantly drawn to its story and cultural depth. “Neeraj has made a beautifully crafted film that’s a significant contribution to Indian cinema,” Scorsese said.
Produced by Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta and Somen Mishra under Dharma Productions, Homebound stars Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa and Janhvi Kapoor. The film’s lead actors, along with Johar, celebrated Scorsese’s involvement, calling it a career-defining moment.
“Having Martin Scorsese lend his wisdom and support to Neeraj’s remarkable vision elevates our film to a rare artistic height,” Johar wrote on Instagram. Khatter called Scorsese “the North Star in the world of Cinema”, while Janhvi Kapoor posted, “An honour beyond words.”