Success without failure has no excitement in life, says actor Boman Irani. By Vaibhav Ratra
Few would know that actor Boman Irani’s life has been as dynamic as the many roles he plays. Did you know that he saw success as an artiste only in his 40sIJ Or that the early part of his life was a mammmoth struggle of being a theatreperson and sustaining himself with odd jobsIJ Or that he had been a waiter at the iconic Taj hotelIJ But the actor has taken on each challenge with a happy heart, saying each twist of fate helped him learn something new and nurture his passions like cooking and photography.
“My life always turns every five years. I wanted to achieve something all my life but it took a little long. And it still isn’t too bad after getting my big film break in my 40s. I seem to enjoy every single day on the set. Some roles have given me great creative and artistic satisfaction, some have been box office success but I put my heart in every job I do as you never know what you may get next. I am a living example of that. My granny used to say, ‘Be the best in whatever you do and this has stayed with me always,’” he told us on the sidelines of a session on life lessons, organised by FlO.
Giving an insight into his own life, Irani explained, “I am peace-loving. I will say what comes to my mind without being offensive. I am an ethically strict person and take pride in my loyalty. I am emotional and can show my emotions stupidly.”
Getting a film was not as difficult as the years he’d spent before it. “I was a photographer, a theatre actor and before that a shopkeeper. So it wasn’t much of a struggle but the struggle of life was very much there for 44 years,” he quipped.
Irani is graduate of Mithibai College in Mumbai. After his polytechnic diploma course, he joined the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower and worked there as a waiter and room service staff. Thereafter, he joined his mother to run their ancestral bakery shop between Novelty and Apsara Cinema in South Mumbai. He turned to photography in 1987 and continued until he became an actor.
Recalling his entry into Bollywood, he said, “I was about 35 when I got a chance to shoot Shiamak Davar (modernist choreographer). He introduced me to theatre and said, ‘You are meant to be on stage.’ He took me to Alyque Padamsee, who gave me my first role in a musical. It worked great for me. I was offered a few plays and I got noticed in I’m not Bajirao and Mahatma Vs Gandhi, where I played Gandhi. Then I was offered my first film let’s Talk by Ram Madhvani. Producer-director Vidhu Vinod Chopra watched me and cast me for Munnabhai M.B.B.S. Suddenly I found myself flooded with varied character roles. And there was no looking back.”
He has no trouble being called a late starter. Explained Irani, “Success without failure has no excitement in life. I do believe in luck but I also swear by hard work. It’s never too late to do anything when it comes to getting a break in the film industry. That makes me believe that if a person is hard-working and knows exactly what it takes to be an actor, I think he or she will make it at some point in life.”
Irani attributes his acting skills to his keen observation of life. “It’s a long process. It’s mostly through observation and a clear understanding of the story. I even get into things like the theme of the project.”
Be it different roles or tasting different kinds of food, Irani doesn’t miss a spot. “I am primarily a home food expert. I believe in the importance of home-made food because it has the warmth and love of a family. If you eat together, you stay together. I love preparing dhansak and patrani macchi with home-made ingredients. So whenever I get time, I get into the kitchen for my family and friends. Sometimes I just land up at my assistant’s place and hone my photography skills.”
On a food hunt, golgappas are his all-time favourite and he dug into these “explosive water bombs” at Bengali Market during his stint here. “While travelling abroad, I love to eat Italian and French,” he exclaimed.
And for all his seriousness as an artiste, Irani’s favourite film of all time is The Sound of Music. “It is very close to my heart as it brings back fabulous memories of innocence. I think it’s one of the most innocent movies ever made. It’s about the genesis of music. I have tears in my eyes every time I watch that movie because it pulls me.”
These days, the actor is enjoying being a grandparent. “Grand-parenting is very much different from parenting as it is fun without responsibilities. I want to do some more films, watch them with my grandchildren and say, ‘The old man did this.’”