Filmmaker Karan Johar announced on Thursday night that his upcoming production Homebound has been officially selected for the 78th Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard Category. Actor Vishal Jethwa, who stars alongside Ishaan Khatter and Janhvi Kapoor in the film, is over the moon with this achievement.

He shares, “Honestly, I knew about Cannes, but I am realising the importance of it now. I am getting so many calls and messages, and I feel like I am living the dream of any actor out there. It’s s surreal feeling. I am getting excited to go there but also very nervous. I don’t know how to process it all.”

The 30-year-old insists that this achievement is a result of his 16 years of hard work. “I started working as a background dancer in 2009, it’s been 16 years since. I have never got work from someone’s favour but have always earned it. Maine aur meri mom ne mannatein maangi hain, manifest kiya hai ki mujhe ye film [Homebound] mil jaye. So, it’s a result of it all,” he says, adding that the first person he talked about this Cannes news was his mom. “She started crying as it has been a long journey for me from a background dancer to Cannes. I can’t even describe what all I have seen in between. I am confident and calm yet nervous about what will I do when I go there. I am a bit fearful too, so there is a mix of emotions as I don’t want to take any wrong step.”

While he can’t reveal details about the film, Vishal informs that the Neeraj Ghaywan directorial is a film about friendship. The actor insists that even though he had a great debut with Mardaani 2, his consequent work failed to create an impact. “Those films were critically acclaimed, but they didn’t reach the audience as much and didn’t perform as well commercially as I had hoped for. But Homebound came as another opportunity for me to take my work and my personality to much more people. It will give the industry also a reassurance that I am not a one-hit wonder, but I am here to stay,” he says.

Vishal also thanks Karan for showing faith in him: “Bahut baar aisa hota hai ki aapka kaam utna logon tak nahi pahuch pata hai and main self-doubt mein bhi jata hun. But when people like Karan Johar and Neeraj Ghaywan come and see you to be deserving for such a big break, then it is a big validation and gives a big confidence boost.”