Neeraj Ghaywan is ‘disturbed’ by Karan Johar facing backlash for his remarks on Homebound: ‘It breaks my heart’

Neeraj Ghaywan clarified that Karan Johar's remarks about Homebound were misinterpreted and further expressed disappointment on him receiving criticism for it.

Filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan has come out in support of producer Karan Johar after the latter faced backlash for his recent remarks on Homebound. Earlier this month, Karan had said that he now looks at profitability with every project he takes on and expressed uncertainty about whether a film like Homebound could be made again. His comments drew criticism online, with many accusing him of prioritising commerce over creativity. Now, in an interview with Lallantop Cinema, Neeraj Ghaywan has defended Karan and clarified the intent behind his statement.

Neeraj Ghaywan defends Karan Johar after he faced backlash for his remarks on Homebound,

Neeraj Ghaywan defends Karan Johar

Neeraj expressed disappointment over the reaction to Karan’s comments and said, “See, he has such a big production banner, he’s such a big producer, he doesn’t need to back a film like this. He was fully aware that the film wouldn’t be a blockbuster or make profits for him. But the emotional ethos of the story touched him, and that’s why he chose to support it. He used to say that he just wanted to be part of it in some way. Now, to see people questioning his honesty and casting aspersions on him really breaks my heart.”

He continued, “Presenting what he said somewhere by completely misquoting and misconstruing it can totally break his morale. It undervalues the contribution he’s made to the film. I’m very disturbed by all this. This is such a big moment, a leading banner like his, deciding to produce a sensitive film like this with an independent filmmaker. We should actually pat their backs for doing this and encourage more such collaborations. But if we continue to react this way, it will only break their spirit, and such films won’t be made in the future. I request everyone to think about this and understand that what he said has been completely flipped around.”

Neeraj further explained that Karan’s remarks were made purely from a business perspective and that he never said he wouldn’t make a film like Homebound again. The director also credited Karan for granting him complete creative freedom during the making of the film.

What Karan Johar had said

During a recent chat with Komal Nahta on his YouTube channel Game Changers, Karan Johar discussed his partnership with Adar Poonawalla and said, “Now, you have to take every decision with profitability. It is very important to be profitable. We are a commercial enterprise. I made Homebound, which was critically acclaimed worldwide, but I can’t say if I’ll take such decisions in the future or not. I will feel upset, but I chose this deal for a reason, growth. Growth comes from profit, and profit comes from profitability. I will always be artistic, but it is important to be commercial as well.”

His comments invited backlash on social media. Following this, on October 10, Karan shared a note on Instagram requesting people not to “misconstrue or misquote” his comments on Homebound. He wrote, “It was an academic chat on the business of our movies… I am and will always be exceptionally proud of Homebound. It will always shine in our repertoire of films as one of our finest and most sensitively performed and directed works.”

About Homebound

Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan and produced by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions, Homebound had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2025, where it received a nine-minute standing ovation. The film, starring Ishaan Khatter, Janhvi Kapoor and Vishal Jethwa in lead roles, released in cinemas on 26 September 2025. Though it received positive reviews from critics, it underperformed at the box office, collecting just ₹2.65 crore worldwide.

Set in a small village in North India, Homebound tells the story of childhood friends who dream of clearing the national police exam and escaping poverty. The film has been selected as India’s official entry for the 2026 Oscars in the Best International Feature Film category.