Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound faces legal challenge after author alleges plagiarism
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Just days after securing a place on the Oscars shortlist, filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound has landed in legal trouble, with journalist and author Puja Changoiwala alleging that the film unlawfully plagiarised her 2021 novel of the same name.
Changoiwala has initiated legal action against Dharma Productions and Netflix, claiming that the makers of Homebound misused not only the title of her book but also substantial portions of its content. In an email to Hindustan Times, the author said she approached the courts after her legal notice to the production house was ignored.
While acknowledging that both her novel and the film are inspired by the COVID-19 migrant exodus of 2020, Changoiwala maintained that the similarities go far beyond the shared backdrop. She alleged that the film’s second half reproduces key elements of her book, including scenes, dialogue, narrative structure, sequence of events, and other creative expressions.
According to Changoiwala, her lawyer sent a detailed legal notice to Dharma Productions on October 15, outlining a scene-by-scene account of the alleged infringement.
She claimed that the responses from the production house failed to acknowledge any violation. She also accused Dharma of “passing off” by using the same title as her novel, arguing that this could not be a coincidence, especially since the film’s script was reportedly developed in 2022, a year after her book was published.
The author has now moved to the next stage of legal action by filing an application before the Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority under Section 12A of the Commercial Courts Act, 2015. This step is part of the mandatory pre-institution mediation process required before filing a suit in the Bombay High Court.
Changoiwala said she is seeking substantial remedies, including a permanent injunction on the film’s distribution, removal of all infringing material, a change in the film’s title, and monetary damages for copyright infringement.
Addressing the power imbalance in the industry, she said she was aware she was taking on influential entities but felt it was necessary to protect writers’ rights.
Dharma Productions has not yet issued an official response to the allegations.
The legal dispute comes at a high point in the film’s journey.
Homebound premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section on May 21, went on to screen at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it finished as second runner-up for the International People’s Choice Award, and later closed the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2025. Most recently, the film was shortlisted for the 98th Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category, with the Oscars scheduled for March 15, 2026.