Mumbai, Nov 24 (NationPress) Actor Vishal Jethwa has been honored with the prestigious Snow Leopard Award for Best Actor at the renowned Asian World Film Festival (AWFF) for his remarkable performance in Homebound. He expressed that daring to persist can make dreams a reality.

In a heartfelt message, Vishal shared with IANS: “Dreams do come true when you refuse to give up. Receiving the Snow Leopard Best Actor Award is a surreal moment. As actors we may be the face, but the entire cast and crew of Homebound deserve this honor.”

This marks Vishal's inaugural win as Best Actor.

“This is my first Best Actor award and my first international accolade, making it truly special. Thank you so much… bohot bohot dhanyawad. Jai Hind,” he expressed.

Vishal mentioned that Homebound provided him with a global platform to narrate a story that resonates both personally and universally.

“Being acknowledged among such exceptional international talent at AWFF is incredibly humbling. This win serves as a reminder that genuine storytelling always reaches the hearts of people,” he added.

Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, Homebound is produced by Dharma Productions. The film chronicles the journey of two childhood friends from a small village in North India, who aspire to become police officers, hoping to gain the respect they have always sought. However, as they draw nearer to their goal, external pressures and challenges strain their friendship.

The film, featuring Janhvi Kapoor and Ishaan Khatter, premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival and reportedly received a nine-minute standing ovation post-screening.

Vishal began his acting career in 2013 with the lead role of Akbar in Bharat Ka Veer Putra – Maharana Pratap. In 2015, he portrayed Bali in Sankatmochan Mahabali Hanuman. A year later, he played a pivotal role as a terrorist in Diya Aur Baati Hum.