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Neeraj Ghaywan and Payal Kapadia met at Cannes 2025 after his film Homebound, starring Janhvi Kapoor and Ishaan Khatter, received a heartfelt response at the film festival.
Neeraj Ghaywan poses for a picture with Cannes jury member, Payal Kapadia.
Karan Johar-backed film Homebound, starring Janhvi Kapoor and Ishaan Khatter, has taken over the Cannes Film Festival 2025. After the film’s world premiere, filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan posed with Cannes jury member Payal Kapadia, known for her critically acclaimed film, All We Imagine As Light. Their photo together drew reactions from their industry colleagues, including Anurag Kashyap.
Neeraj Ghaywan and Payal Kapadia flashed the brightest smiles as they made the country proud at Cannes 2025. While Ghaywan is all over the news for his directorial project Homebound, Kapadia is one of the esteemed jury members at the global film festival. “Hanging out with the biggest Indian star at @festivaldecannes – @payalkapadiafilm,” Ghaywan wrote while sharing the photo. Take a look:
Their photo was loved by filmmakers and fans alike. Anurag Kashyap wrote, “Do chamakte huye sitaare (Two shining stars)”. Zoya Akhtar dropped two red heart emojis, indicating her love for the duo.
Karan Johar, Neeraj Ghaywan break down at Homebound premiere
The Indian contingent found Cannes 2025 to be a deeply emotional affair as Neeraj Ghaywan’s film Homebound, the sole Indian feature at this year’s festival, received a 9-minute standing ovation during its world premiere in the Un Certain Regard section.
The film debuted to a packed audience, leaving viewers deeply moved. Dharma Productions shared a video on X capturing the crowd’s sentiments. Karan Johar, who bankrolled the project, was seen hugging director Ghaywan, who broke down in his arms, overwhelmed by the love and affection Homebound received. Actors Janhvi Kapoor and Ishaan Khatter, who star as the leads in the film, also appeared teary-eyed, absorbing the moment with their co-star Vishal Jethwa and the rest of the team. For the unversed, Martin Scorsese had joined Homebound as its executive producer.
Neeraj Ghaywan’s past Cannes feat
The filmmaker is no stranger to success at Cannes. Ghaywan’s highly praised debut film, Masaan (2015), starring Vicky Kaushal and Richa Chadha, also premiered at the esteemed festival in the past, earning both the Un Certain Regard Special Prize and the FIPRESCI Prize.
As for Payal Kapadia, her film All We Imagine As Light had won the prestigious Grand Prix win at Cannes 2024.
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