Neeraj Ghaywan’s film Homebound, starring Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa in the lead roles and produced by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions, has landed in legal trouble following allegations of plagiarism. Journalist and author Puja Changoiwala has initiated legal action against Dharma Productions and Netflix (Homebound is streaming on the OTT platform currently), claiming that the film unlawfully copies her 2021 novel Homebound.
In an email to The Free Press Journal, Changoiwala stated that her lawyer issued a formal notice to the production house. According to the author, the similarities between her novel and the film extend far beyond a shared premise.
Changoiwala acknowledged that both her book and the film are inspired by the same real-life event - the COVID-19 migrant exodus of 2020, a defining national tragedy. However, she maintained that the overlap does not end with the broader theme.
Following her viewing of Homebound, Changoiwala’s lawyer reportedly sent a legal notice to Dharma Productions on October 15, outlining what she described as a detailed, scene-by-scene account of how the film allegedly infringed upon her intellectual property rights. Despite this, the author claimed that the production house allegedly "refused to acknowledge the violation" in its responses to the notice.
"Upon watching the film, I discovered that the producers have not only misappropriated the title of my book, but have also blatantly reproduced substantial portions of my novel in the second half of the film—including its scenes, dialogue, narrative structure, sequence of events, and other creative expressions," Changoiwala mentioned on mail.
She added, "On October 15, my lawyer issued a legal notice to Dharma Productions, providing a detailed, scene-by-scene account of their infringement of my rights, and calling upon them to cease, desist, and refrain from further exploitation of this film in its current infringing form. In their replies to this legal notice, the producers refused to acknowledge the violation, and have continued to exploit the film on Netflix."
She said she initiated legal action against Dharma Productions and Netflix to protect her rights as an author. "I know I’m challenging powerful entities by taking this step, but I believe it’s important for writers to defend their work when it's misappropriated and exploited without their consent," she concluded.
As of now, neither Dharma Productions nor Netflix has issued an official statement addressing the allegations.
Homebound at Oscars 2026
The film has been shortlisted for the 98th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category. It advanced to the next round of Oscar voting, placing it among the final 15 films eligible for nominations in the International Feature Film category at the Oscars 2026.
It has been shortlisted alongside films such as Argentina’s Belen, Brazil’s The Secret Agent, France’s It Was Just an Accident, Germany’s Sound of Falling, among others.
Homebound follows the journey of childhood friends Shoaib (Ishaan) and Chandan (Vishal), whose shared aspiration to join the police force shapes their lives and choices. The film explores themes of friendship, duty, and the societal pressures faced by young Indians, with Janhvi Kapoor adding emotional depth to the narrative.
Earlier this year, the film premiered to strong reviews in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes 2025 and later made an impact at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), where it secured the Second Runner-Up position for the International Audience Choice Award.
