Boman Irani took center stage at the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa, sharing the extraordinary journey behind his latest film, ‘The Mehta Boys’.

During its screening, the actor and filmmaker spoke candidly about how the story evolved over the course of a decade. What began as a single-line idea from filmmaker Sujoy Ghosh transformed into a heartfelt narrative about family, written and directed by Irani himself.

“Sujoy gave me one line for the picture—just the beginning of a story,” Boman Irani shared. “I told him I would direct it, and that’s where it all started. It took years to get the story right.” Over time, he collaborated with Alex Dinelaris, the Oscar-winning writer behind ‘Birdman’, to develop the screenplay.

“Alex became like a brother to me during this process. This film is about family, and making it was a deeply personal experience. We wanted to ensure that every part of it felt authentic,” Irani said.

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The film, which delves into the emotional complexities of a father-son relationship, holds a special place in Irani’s heart. “It’s taken years to bring this to life, but today, I’m happy to finally present it to the audience,” he added.

Actress Shreya Chaudhry, who features in ‘The Mehta Boys’, expressed her joy at being part of the film and attending IFFI for the first time. “This is my first time at the festival, and it is incredibly special to be here with this film,” she said. Shreya described her experience of working with Irani as a dream come true.

“Anyone who spends even five minutes with him falls in love with him. Being directed by him and acting alongside him felt like a dream. Growing up watching his films—and Alex’s films—made this collaboration feel like life coming full circle.”

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Actor Avinash Tiwary, another key member of the cast, shared his excitement at returning to IFFI. “The energy here is incredible. This is my second time at the festival, and I hope the audience shows the same love for this film as they did during my last visit,” he said.

The 55th edition of IFFI continues to celebrate the best in global cinema. This year’s festival features over 180 films from 81 countries, including 16 world premieres, 3 international premieres, 43 Asian premieres, and 109 Indian premieres.

The event, which began on November 20, runs until November 28. It has drawn filmmakers and actors from around the world to showcase their work.

As part of its programming, IFFI 2024 is paying tribute to Indian cinema legends Raj Kapoor, Tapan Sinha, Akkineni Nageswara Rao (ANR), and Mohammed Rafi, commemorating their 100th birth anniversaries.