Only a week after earning a place in the 2026 Academy Awards shortlist for Best International Feature Film, Homebound has come under the scanner. On December 23, it came to light that author and journalist Puja Changiowala sent a legal notice to Dharma Productions, which backed the Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor-starrer, accusing the makers of plagiarism. She alleged that Neeraj Ghaywan’s directorial venture has drawn heavily from her 2021 book of the same name. In the latest development, mid-day has dug out the list of similarities.  

Set in India during the COVID-19 pandemic, Changiowala’s book follows Meher and her Dharavi-based family, who journey on foot toward their village in Rajasthan after the government announces a strict lockdown.