During a candid conversation at The Hollywood Reporter India’s Actors Roundtable 2025, a seemingly simple question posed by Anupama Chopra — about the last film actors watched purely as fans — set the stage for one of the most memorable moments of the evening.

What began as a casual cinephile discussion soon turned emotional and hilariously candid when Vicky Kaushal spoke about Neeraj Ghaywan’s ‘Homebound’ (2025).

As other actors named recent favourites, Kaushal revealed that ‘Homebound’ (2025) was the last film he watched in theatres simply as a viewer.

The admission immediately drew playful reactions, with Ishaan Khatter quipping that Kaushal must have gone to watch it “for Neeraj sir,” a reference to the filmmaker who launched Vicky’s career with ‘Masaan’ (2015).

Chopra followed up by asking whether the film made Kaushal cry — a question that led to both honesty and humour. The actor admitted he almost did, before delivering a line that instantly brought the room to laughter.

“However, I always tell Neeraj sir that even if you make an ad film on a condom, you will make me cry.”

The laughter escalated when Ishaan added, “because it breaks,” prompting Kaushal to shake his head and simply say, “He is just great,” as the table dissolved into extended chuckles.

Once the jokes settled, Kaushal returned to why ‘Homebound’ affected him so deeply. Calling the film heartbreaking, he clarified that it is not merely a story designed to evoke pain. Instead, he said, it leaves behind a lingering emotional resistance — one that makes viewers confront their own privilege.

According to Kaushal, the film pushes audiences to look beyond themselves and empathise with lives and struggles they may never encounter firsthand.

The moment underscored Kaushal’s long-standing bond with Ghaywan — a relationship that began with ‘Masaan’ and continues with the same trust and emotional resonance a decade later. His now-viral “condom ad” remark, though delivered in jest, captured something deeper: Kaushal’s belief that Ghaywan possesses a rare ability to find humanity and heartbreak in even the smallest stories.

On the professional front, Kaushal's upcoming movie with Sanjay Leela Bhansali (SLB) is the highly anticipated epic, ‘Love & War’, a passionate love triangle set against a wartime backdrop, also starring Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt, expected in 2026.