Why Vishal Jethwa felt like 'odd man out' in Bollywood
What's the story
Vishal Jethwa, the star of the Oscar-shortlisted film Homebound, recently opened up about his struggles as an outsider in Bollywood. During Zoom's Best Performances Male 2025 roundtable, he discussed the pressure to conform and the insecurities he faced early on. However, he eventually found strength in embracing his individuality.
Struggles
'I don't want to become like someone else'
Jethwa admitted to trying to fit in by imitating others. He said, "I slowly realized that we keep trying to be unique, but your originality itself is your uniqueness." "Wherever we go, we think that if we become like someone else, it will feel better... But I don't want to copy anyone." "One should never try to become like someone else or imitate their way. Never try to fit in."
Insecurity
Jethwa's feelings of inadequacy and Ghaywan's advice
Jethwa also confessed to feeling like the "odd man out" due to his lack of fluency in English and general knowledge. He said, "Honestly, I felt that way because I couldn't speak very good English or because I didn't have knowledge about many things. I felt left out and lesser than others." However, director Neeraj Ghaywan reminded him that he was in the industry because of his work.
Self-acceptance
Jethwa's journey toward self-acceptance and normalization of struggles
After Ghaywan's advice, Jethwa realized he should just be himself. He said, "I thought that if I'm sitting here because of my work, then why shouldn't I just be myself?" "So when I talk about this, and it reaches people, I want these conversations to be normalized." "No matter how talented or knowledgeable you are, there will always be moments when you feel inadequate or different, and it will hurt."