Vishal Jethwa Celebrates Pet's Birthday, Reflects on 'Homebound' Oscar Journey

The actor posted a heartwarming picture from the special day, which was complete with decorations and a cake. Vishal's post reflected his deep bond with his pet, a Shih Tzu, leaving fans gushing over the cute birthday bash.

For the caption, he wrote: "Happy Birthday Sattuuuu".

He shared another image on his stories section, where he along with his mother and brother are seen posing with their four-legged friend.

Vishal's latest is "Homebound", which in January, failed to make it to the Oscars. The film explores the experiences of two childhood friends portrayed by Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa after they attempt to pass the national police exam.

Homebound, directed by National Award-winning filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan, also features Ishaan Khatter and Janhvi Kapoor. The last Indian film to receive a nomination in this category was Aamir Khan's Lagaan in 2001. Last year, Payal Kapadia's All We Imagine As Light was not selected as India's official entry but still earned international recognition.

The five films that made it to the final Oscar shortlist are The Secret Agent (Brazil), It Was Just an Accident (France), Sentimental Value (Norway), Sirât (Spain), and The Voice of Hind Rajab (Tunisia).

At that point, Vishal said that the film's journey remains extraordinary for him and added that being shortlisted among the final 15 films from 86 entries was itself a deeply humbling experience, especially given his modest beginnings.

Vishal had told IANS: "While we didn't make it to the final nominations, being shortlisted among the final 15 films from 86 entries itself has been deeply humbling for me. I come from a very modest, local space, where dreams often feel distant, so to see Homebound travel this far and represent India on a global platform already feels extraordinary."

"Every step of this process has been a reminder of how far belief, perseverance, and sincerity can take you. I'm deeply grateful to Neeraj Ghaywan for his vision, to Karan Johar for believing in this film, and to my co-actors Ishaan and Janhvi for being such inspiring collaborators."

- IANS