'I am the son of a domestic help': Cannes debutant Vishal Jethwa says poor background made him nervous

Vishal Jethwa opens up about his mother being a domestic help

Vishal Jethwa recently made headlines after he made his big Cannes 2025 debut, alongside Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khatter, Karan Johar, and others. His film Homebound premiered at the recently concluded prestigious film festival. For the premiere, the entire cast and team of the film walked the red carpet dressed in their best outfits. Among them, Vishal grabbed eyeballs looking dapper. However, what made his debut more special was his journey from the small screen to walking one of the most prestigious red carpets. He recently opened up about the experience, recalling he was doubtful and nervous about his debut just days before the event.

Vishal Jethwa opens up about his family

In the film, Vishal plays the role of an underprivileged young boy who aspires to become a police officer in search of the respect he never got. During a recent interaction with Zoom, the Mardaani 2 actor was asked if he could relate to his character in the film.

Responding to the question, Vishal opened up, "I also come from a poor family. I was so confident at Cannes because my sister told me, 'Don't be so stressed,' because in a literal way, I am the son of a domestic help. Main ek kamwali bai jo hoti hain, unka beta hun."

He added, "My mother used to sweep and mop people's homes, and she used to sell sanitary pads in a supermarket. My father used to sell coconut water. I have seen all of this. And I could relate all this to it. But not now, now my life has moved beyond that. But privilege is such a big thing - I never knew that."

Vishal speaks about privileges

Vishal also spoke about privileges and their benefits. He shared, "Also, we tend to think privilege is only a positive word, that it only brings benefits. But that's not true. With privilege comes more responsibility."

"Like my co-actors, Ishaan and Janhvi, they've had privilege in their lives. We tend to think that the opportunities they've received mean their lives are sorted - but that's not true. They have to work just as hard. Many directors' and producers' kids have come and gone, but not all have succeeded. It's about who the audience accepts."

He concluded, "So, just having privilege doesn't guarantee anything. They might get the opportunity, sure. We won't get those same opportunities. We have to deliver extraordinary performances. That's the difference. But this is not a complaint, just a fact."

Homebound has been helmed by Neeraj Ghaywan, and produced by Karan Johar, Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta and Somen Mishra. It features Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa and Janhvi Kapoor in lead roles.