Neeraj Ghaywan defends Karan Johar over Homebound remark

Neeraj Ghaywan, director of the award-winning film Homebound, strongly came to the defense of producer Karan Johar after a social media backlash against Karan’s recent statements on profitability in cinema. Neeraj claimed that Karan’s comments were unjustly “misquoted and misconstrued” and wound up diluting his strong defense of the Oscar-nominated film.

Homebound director Neeraj Ghaywan opens up on Karan Johar amidst controversy

The controversy arose after Karan, in an interview, discussed the need for his production house to prioritise profitability, expressing uncertainty about taking on non-blockbuster projects like Homebound again. These comments were widely interpreted as Karan prioritising commerce over creativity, leading to considerable backlash.

In a defense of Karan, Neeraj spoke to a news publication, saying he was upset by the backlash. He emphasised that Karan, being the head of a big production house banner, had no business reason to support a sensitive, independent film like Homebound, which would not bring in huge returns. Neeraj stated that Karan’s choice was emotional, being moved by the ethos of the film.

“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,” Neeraj explained. It was “heartbreaking” to witness Karan being challenged on his honesty, he added, claiming the public outcry may discourage big producers from investing in independent cinema in the future.

Neeraj also made it clear that Karan’s remarks were spoken solely from the business perspective and that the producer never verbally declared that he would refrain from producing such films. In addition, the director thanked Karan for giving him full artistic freedom, highlighting the genuineness of his dedication.

Homebound, directed by Ishaan Khatter Janhvi Kapoor and Vishal Jethwa, opened to a nine-minute standing ovation at Cannes Film Festival and is India’s official entry for the 2026 Oscars in the Best International Feature Film category. Johar also released an Instagram clarification post controversy, reiterating his sheer pride in the movie and maintaining his initial remarks were an entirely academic discussion about the cinema business.

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