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Key Points

Actor Vishal Jehtwa is speaking candidly about his long-standing struggle with feeling ashamed of his English language skills. He explains how people in India are often judged by their fluency, creating a fear of being seen as less capable. Jehtwa credits his work on the film 'Homebound' and director Neeraj Ghaywan for helping him embrace his identity. He now sees his unique life experiences and upbringing as the very reasons for his professional success.

Key Points: Vishal Jehtwa on Overcoming English Fluency Shame and Self-Acceptance

  • Jehtwa battled shame for years over not being fluent in English
  • He highlights how people in India are judged by their language and class
  • The actor credits director Neeraj Ghaywan for helping him accept his identity
  • He believes his authentic upbringing made him perfect for his film role
  • Jehtwa stresses that self-acceptance is key to overcoming societal fears
3 min read

Vishal Jehtwa speaks up on his struggles with English language, stresses on importance of acceptance

Actor Vishal Jehtwa opens up about his struggle with English language fluency, societal judgment, and how accepting his identity led to his film's success.

"I’m here because I’m what my life has made me. If I were less than that, I would not be here. - Vishal Jehtwa"

Mumbai, Sep 22

Actor Vishal Jehtwa, who is gearing up for the release of his upcoming film ‘Homebound’, has spoken up on his proficiency in the English language, and how he battled shame for years for not being fluent in the language.

The actor recently spoke with the media during the promotional campaign of ‘Homebound’. Talking about how he felt out of place when he interacted with those fluent in the language, he told the media, “Some people are not able to accept their identity. I have been able to accept myself more through this film. And this change has been brought to me by Neeraj Ghaywan sir. A lot of people go through a lot of difficulties, especially in India, who do not know how to speak English very well. And when they come to such a spot in front of everyone, where they cannot speak English in a very fluent way, they feel left out”.

He further mentioned, “We come to the spot and feel scared, because people judge us by your class. If you speak English, then you belong to a class. And if you speak Hindi, then you are seen with a different perspective, and you are treated differently. Maybe you are just as talented and deserving, but because of your language, you are judged differently. And this fear that was in me, I never knew where this fear was coming from. Which path should I take? I did not know”.

“So when I accepted myself, that, ‘Yes, I am not like this, my upbringing is not like this, my life experience, my parents have not been able to educate me in such a good school, but what they have been able to do is this’. And because of this, I am sitting here today”, he added.

The actor said that he has reached a stage in his professional life owing to who he is. If he had been more qualified or less qualified, he would have not been cast in the film. He casting came through because he was a perfect fit for the film with all his life experiences and upbringing.

He said, “I’m here because I’m what my life has made me. If I were less than that, I would not be here. And if I were more than that, again I would not be here. So if I had behaved in a very classy and cool way, then maybe I would not have been a part of this film. Our film would not have gone to the Oscars today. So I think you should accept yourself”.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
This is such an important conversation for India. English should be a skill, not a status symbol. Many talented people get overlooked because of language barriers. Hope this inspires more acceptance in our society.
S
Sarah B
While I appreciate his honesty, I think learning English does open up opportunities. Maybe instead of just accepting limitations, we should encourage language learning while fighting the stigma. Both are important.
A
Arjun K
Exactly! In our country, English has become a class divider. Your worth shouldn't be measured by which language you speak. Talent and character matter more. 🇮🇳
M
Meera T
My parents sacrificed so much to send me to English medium school, but I've seen how my cousins from vernacular medium schools struggle despite being brilliant. This elitism needs to stop. Good on Vishal for speaking his truth!
K
Karthik V
As someone who works in corporate, I see this daily. People who speak fluent English get promoted faster regardless of actual performance. It's an unfair system that needs changing.

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