Boman Irani, left, and Avinash Tiwary play father and son in The Mehta Boys. Photo: Prime Video
Boman Irani, left, and Avinash Tiwary play father and son in The Mehta Boys. Photo: Prime Video
Boman Irani, left, and Avinash Tiwary play father and son in The Mehta Boys. Photo: Prime Video
Boman Irani, left, and Avinash Tiwary play father and son in The Mehta Boys. Photo: Prime Video

Boman Irani says The Mehta Boys was ‘the greatest learning experience’ of his life


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Good writers have the ability to make simple things sublime. In the hands of Boman Irani, for example, everyday items such as the handbrake of a car or a light switch become powerful tools for philosophical musings. Yes, that same Boman Irani who is mostly known for his prolific acting career in Hindi cinema, ranging from critically acclaimed arty fare to slapstick comedies.

Irani, 65, stars in The Mehta Boys, a heartfelt drama about an estranged father and son who are forced to spend 48 hours together, streaming from Friday on Prime Video. Based on an idea pitched to him a few years ago by acclaimed writer and director Sujoy Ghosh, Irani was so taken by the story's potential, he decided to write, direct and produce it.

“There was something about the idea that resonated with me,” he tells The National. “It's something so universal. It's such a beautiful process, trying to figure out people's wounds, people's fatal flaws, people's miscommunication, and all the confusion that happens between two people who love each other so dearly.”

But wanting to do something and actually making it happen are two different things, as Irani soon found out. He describes the painstaking process of making The Mehta Boys as “the greatest learning experience of my life”.

“After Sujoy sweetly said I could have his idea, I did a lot of research. I was doing a lot of movies then, so I'd write a scene one day, then another, and then scratch it and start all over again,” he explains. “Then I'd sleep on it, thinking I'd written a masterpiece and then wake up and throw it in the dustbin. I am, unfortunately, a boring man, so I didn't have a social life. So I just kept at it.”

Irani also reached out to an old friend, Oscar-winning screenwriter Alexander Dinelaris Jr, to help him fine-tune the script.

Boman Irani, left, Puja Sarup and Avinash Tiwary, right, in the heartfelt family drama. Photo: Prime Video
Boman Irani, left, Puja Sarup and Avinash Tiwary, right, in the heartfelt family drama. Photo: Prime Video

“Alexander kind of shepherded and shaped it. He would write independently and then I'd write independently, and every few months I'd go to New York where he is based and sit with him for hours, and then come back after two weeks, then go back again.”

Irani's dedication to the project is already paying off. The Mehta Boys won Best Feature Film at the 15th Chicago South Asian Film Festival in September and Best Actor for Irani at the International Film Festival of South Asia in Toronto in October. It was also screened at the International Film Festival of India in Goa in November and the Indian Film Festival in Berlin last month, where it received wide praise.

In the film, Irani plays retiree Shiv, who, after a tragedy, is pressured by his daughter Anu (Puja Sarup) to move with her to the US. But a ticketing mishap forces Anu to leave Shiv with her brother Amay (Avinash Tiwary), an architect based in Mumbai, for 48 hours.

Estranged for many years, the two men patiently endure each other at first. But a series of incidents soon bring out old wounds, forcing father and son to reconcile with past differences and face their current realities.

Irani displays a deft hand as a first-time director, largely benefiting from his and co-writer Dinelaris Jr's potent script, as the film explores the complexities of relationships, themes of masculinity and coping with grief. In the story, as it is often in life, there are no right or wrong sides.

“There are no villains in this film. The villain is within you, which is your ego and your fake sense of masculinity,” says Irani. “This film is about looking at yourself, saying: 'That's probably me and I'm looking like a real idiot doing what I'm doing over there.' ”

Irani, whose two sons also work in the film industry – Kayoze Irani is an actor and Danesh Irani is a producer – says he also drew from personal experiences to write and play his character, as well as many interviews of fathers and sons. He also borrowed themes from Sigmund Freud's essay, Family Romances, which explores different phases children experience in relation to their parents.

“We've got a great relationship,” he says of his sons. “We do have our run-ins every now and then, but thankfully they get sorted the same evening. That's the difference between mine and Shiv and Amay's relationship.”

Shreya Chaudhry, left, Avinash Tiwary, centre, and Boman Irani in The Mehta Boys. Photo: Prime Video
Shreya Chaudhry, left, Avinash Tiwary, centre, and Boman Irani in The Mehta Boys. Photo: Prime Video

Starting his career as a photographer before moving to theatre and then acting in his first movie, 2001's Everybody Says I'm Fine!, Irani has appeared in more than 100 films. His notable work include roles in horror anthology Darna Mana Hai and blockbuster comedy Munna Bhai M.B.B.S., both in 2003, as well as record-breaking comedy-drama 3 Idiots (2009).

He says he is relishing his latest phase as director. “I was not made for only one film. I've had many productive times,” he says. “I feel very proud of myself as a shopkeeper. I've been proud of myself as a waiter. I've been proud of myself as a photographer, as a theatre actor and I've had some wonderful times in the cinema as an actor.

“And I always give myself an opportunity to feel a certain joy in what I do. So yes, at this point, I'm enjoying the joy of what The Meta Boys has brought me.”

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The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Part three: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

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PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES

Tuesday (UAE kick-off times)

Leicester City v Brighton (9pm)

Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United (11.15pm)

Wednesday

Manchester United v Sheffield United (9pm)

Newcastle United v Aston Villa (9pm)

Norwich City v Everton (9pm)

Wolves v Bournemouth (9pm)

Liverpool v Crystal Palace (11.15pm)

Thursday

Burnley v Watford (9pm)

Southampton v Arsenal (9pm)

Chelsea v Manchester City (11.15pm)

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In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

Mountain Classification Tour de France after Stage 8 on Saturday: 

  • 1. Lilian Calmejane (France / Direct Energie) 11
  • 2. Fabio Aru (Italy / Astana) 10
  • 3. Daniel Martin (Ireland / Quick-Step) 8
  • 4. Robert Gesink (Netherlands / LottoNL) 8
  • 5. Warren Barguil (France / Sunweb) 7
  • 6. Chris Froome (Britain / Team Sky) 6
  • 7. Guillaume Martin (France / Wanty) 6
  • 8. Jan Bakelants (Belgium / AG2R) 5
  • 9. Serge Pauwels (Belgium / Dimension Data) 5
  • 10. Richie Porte (Australia / BMC Racing) 4
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Chip: Apple M1, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine

Memory: 64/256GB storage; 8GB RAM

Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, Smart HDR

Video: 4K @ 25/25/30/60fps, full HD @ 25/30/60fps, slo-mo @ 120/240fps

Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR, Centre Stage; full HD @ 25/30/60fps

Audio: Stereo speakers

Biometrics: Touch ID

I/O: USB-C, smart connector (for folio/keyboard)

Battery: Up to 10 hours on Wi-Fi; up to 9 hours on cellular

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Price: Wi-Fi – Dh2,499 (64GB) / Dh3,099 (256GB); cellular – Dh3,099 (64GB) / Dh3,699 (256GB)

Updated: February 07, 2025, 1:04 AM`