Neeraj Ghaywan's Homebound Shines at Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2025, Winning Best Film and Best Director.
Awards
Neeraj Ghaywan’s critically acclaimed film Homebound emerged as the biggest winner at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) 2025, held from August 15–24. The drama won both Best Film and Best Director awards, celebrating Indian cinema on a global stage.
- The 16th edition of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM), organized annually to promote Indian cinema in Australia, began on August 15, 2025, with a traditional lamp-lighting ceremony in Melbourne. The festival showcased the finest films and series released in 2024–25 and emphasized streaming content reaching international audiences.
- Homebound, inspired by the 2020 New York Times essay Taking Amrit Home by Kashmiri journalist Basharat Peer, narrates the struggles of two migrant workers stranded during the COVID-19 lockdown. The film, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, starred Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor and was produced by Dharma Productions under Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta, and Somen Mishra.
- The awards night on August 16, 2025, celebrated outstanding talent in Indian cinema. Legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese served as an executive producer for Homebound, mentoring the screenplay development.
Main Point :- (i) The film’s cinematography predominantly took place in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, and it had previously received acclaim at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, including a nine-minute standing ovation.
(ii) Key awards included Aamir Khan receiving the Excellence in Cinema Award for his lifetime contribution to Indian cinema. Abhishek Bachchan won Best Actor (Male) for I Want to Talk, while Jaideep Ahlawat received Best Actor (Male) in a series for Paatal Lok Season 2. Best Actress (Female) awards went to Geetha Kailasam (Angammal) and Nimisha Sajayan (Dabba Cartel).
(iii) Other notable winners included Angammal for Best Indie Film, Black Warrant for Best Series, Vir Das for the Disruptor Award, Aditi Rao Hydari for the Diversity in Cinema Award, and Baksho Bondi for the Equality in Cinema Award. Short films recognized were Kalar Pencils (India) and Drifters (Australia), highlighting the festival’s emphasis on both mainstream and independent storytelling.
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