Homebound Director Opens Up About Rs. 10K Compensation Given To Real Life Heroes' Family, 'I Want..'

Neeraj Ghaywan's Homebound is a social drama that features the struggles of India’s marginalised youth and their fragile dreams. The film stars Vishal Jethwa and Ishan Khatter in lead roles. Vishal portrays the role of 'Chandan', a Dalit, while Ishan plays the role of 'Shoaib', a Muslim. The film has garnered a lot of attention after making an official entry into the 2026 Oscars. However, the drama received flak when reports suggested that the family of the real-life heroes, Amrit and Saiyub, whose journey inspired the movie, was paid only Rs. 10,000. Now, the filmmaker has issued a statement providing clarification on the matter.

Neeraj Ghaywan issues a statement giving clarification about the compensation given to the family of the original heroes of Homebound

On October 3, 2025, the Homebound director, Neeraj Ghaywan, took to his X handle (formerly Twitter) and issued an official statement addressing the reports about the alleged compensation given to the family whose life inspired the social drama. He clarified that the much-talked-about amount of Rs. 10,000 was only a small token that he had personally given to Amrit’s father, Ram Charan, years ago during his research, as a gesture of respect and gratitude. He mentioned that it was not the full compensation. He wrote:

"Some of you have expressed concerns about reports claiming that the family whose life inspired Homebound was compensated with a mere Rs.10,000—a shamefully low amount. I want to clarify that this sum was a small token I personally gave to Ram Charan ji (Amrit’s father) many years ago during my initial research, simply as a parting gesture. Please do not mistake this for the full extent of the compensation provided."

Neeraj further mentioned that both he and the producers would never reduce such a deeply personal story to such a small sum. He expressed that the families’ contributions were invaluable and deeply meaningful to him. In the concluding lines, the director mentioned he personally doesn’t want to make the exact compensation amount public. Addressing Amrit and Saiyub, the original heroes of Homebound, he wrote:

"Neither I nor the producers would ever reduce such a deeply personal story to such a pittance. The families’ contributions are invaluable and deeply meaningful to me. We have honoured their trust and stories with sincere respect and significant support. They have expressed their happiness with me about the same, and I personally don’t want to mention the number because that would disrespect the bond I share with Amrit and Saiyub—the original heroes of Homebound."

More about Neeraj Ghaywan's Homebound

Neeraj's Homebound is a tale of friendship which gets tested when struggle comes to the forefront. The story revolves around two childhood friends, 'Chandan' and 'Shoaib', who share the same struggles of caste, religion, and poverty. The duo dream of joining the police force and becoming constables in order to earn respect from the society that often neglects them. The film also stars Janhvi Kapoor, along side Ishan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa. The project was produced by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions.

What are your thoughts on Neeraj Ghaywan's revelation about the compensation? Let us know.

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