I am a beautiful misfit in the industry: Vishal Jethwa

Vishal Jethwa, currently in the news for his film Homebound which got a standing ovation during its premiere at Cannes, says that he still feels like a misfit in the industry. Vishal, who has done TV shows like Sankatmochan Mahabali Hanuman, Peshwa Bajirao and Ek Duje Ke Vaaste, talks to us about how transitioning from TV is difficult, his willingness to do a Gujarati film and more.


‘Martin Scorsese backing our film was a blessing’
Talking about Martin Scorsese backing Homebound as an executive producer, he says, “It was a blessing. Sometimes, just working on a project backed by a legendary filmmaker does the trick for you. I couldn’t meet him or speak to him, but I hope he has seen my work in the film and has good things to say. Unknowingly, I have learnt a lot from his films, especially Leonardo DiCaprio-starrer Shutter Island. Throughout the film, I kept wondering how it could be treated so well visually. Only a filmmaker of his calibre could do it.”

‘Had nothing else to offer on TV as an actor’
Vishal, who has mostly done historical and mythological shows like Chakradhari Ajay Krishna, Bharat Ka Veer Putra: Maharana Pratap and others, says that at one point, he didn’t know what else to offer as an actor. “I felt limited doing historical and mythological shows and they felt similar after a point. I had nothing more to explore as an actor,” he says.
Vishal also feels that “TV actors are looked at in a certain way.” He elaborates, “I have met a lot of filmmakers and most people think that I am a TV actor. Every actor should be looked at in the same way, irrespective of the medium. However, actors also need to work on their craft, mould themselves and accept changes that come with working in different mediums.”
He adds, “After I was offered Mardaani 2, it changed my perspective about my acting skills and gave me a larger canvas to perform. I worked on myself to be fit for the big screen.”

‘I am keen to do a Gujarati film’
Vishal, a Gujarati by birth, is “keen to do a Gujarati film.” He says, “I want to work in as many languages as possible, and I want to start with Gujarati. It’s my mother tongue; I want to do some amazing work and help the industry progress. I have watched Hellaro, Bey Yaar, Chhello Divas and Raado, and I have always wanted to bring out that Gujaratiness in my work.”
Vishal’s video of singing a Gujarati folk song has gone viral on Instagram, where he said that he loves music more than acting. Is he open to singing for films? He says, “Why not? I really love and enjoy the music of my land and we have seen how well it has been received by the masses in our country. I would love to sing for a nice project and hopefully, act in it too.”

‘I still feel uncomfortable while attending industry parties’
In one of his recent interviews, Vishal spoke about how he still feels like a misfit in the industry. He explains, “Since childhood, I have been brought up very differently. We belonged to a lower middle-class family, so my approach to things and social behaviour are very different. I still feel uncomfortable while attending industry parties. I didn’t even know what event-appropriate clothing meant.” However, he adds, “I am a beautiful misfit in the industry. Professionally, I don’t have an issue, it’s on a very personal level.”

‘Walking the red carpet at Cannes was magical’
Talking about Homebound getting a standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival, he says, “Walking the red carpet for my film was a magical experience. At that moment, I was living my dream and felt like I was at the peak of my career. It also felt great when our film received a nine-minute standing ovation, as I was representing the film with some of the most influential people from Bollywood. Having my mom with me throughout this experience felt special.”

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