Neeraj Ghaywan's 'Homebound' — now India's official entry to the Oscars — presents familiar commercial and arthouse tropes like Islamophobia and discrimination against Dalits while narrating the story of two best friends who would, obviously as pivots in the story, go through a clash before reuniting?

For one, director and co-writer Ghaywan does not rest solely on the critical acclaim he earned for his debut feature 'Masaan'. He strikes a fine balance — never once exasperating the viewer. Instead, he compels the audience to think deeply and engage with the lives of his central characters and their families.

Chandan (Vishal Jethwa) is a Dalit who prefers to hide his caste. He lives in a small north Indian town. His underprivileged family includes Vaishali (Harshika Parmar), who is forced

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