Mumbai – Actor Ishaan Khatter is heading into a milestone month with the release of his Netflix series The Royals and the prestigious Cannes Film Festival premiere of his film Homebound. In a recent interview with Hindustan Times, Ishaan opened up about the physical and emotional demands of transitioning between the two major projects.
After wrapping The Royals, where he plays the dashing Aviraaj Singh, a royal heir, Ishaan had less than two months to shed 10 kilos for his transformative role in Homebound, directed by Neeraj Ghaywan. The film, which has been selected for the Un Certain Regard section at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, required him to “shed skin” and fully immerse himself in a starkly different character.
“I jumped into Homebound in less than two months after finishing The Royals. I had to get into shedding skin to get into the character, and lose 10 kilos,” Ishaan said. He described the experience as deeply rewarding and emphasized his excitement at seeing both projects come to fruition.
Adding to the film’s acclaim, Martin Scorsese has joined Homebound as executive producer. Ishaan expressed his joy, saying, “There wasn’t anything better than someone like Martin Scorsese joining our team.” Scorsese himself praised the film, calling it “a beautifully crafted film that’s a significant contribution to Indian cinema.”
Ishaan also lauded director Neeraj Ghaywan, calling him “deserving” and “special,” and shared his gratitude for being part of a film that he believes stands out in Indian storytelling.
Homebound, co-starring Janhvi Kapoor and Vishal Jethwa, will screen at Cannes from May 13 to 24, 2025. Meanwhile, The Royals, also featuring Bhumi Pednekar, is set to premiere on May 9 on Netflix.