Boman Irani wins SAFA award for his directorial debut ‘The Mehta Boys’

Boman Irani with SAFA award

Actor and director Boman Irani has added another feather to his cap, receiving the prestigious SAFA (South Asian Film Association) award for his directorial debut, ‘The Mehta Boys.' The award recognizes Irani's exceptional talent and contribution to the world of cinema.

In the presence of his family and co-stars, Boman Irani accepted the prestigious award with pure joy. Taking to social media to express his excitement, he shared, "Winning at the Chicago South Asian Film Festival for The Mehta Boys feels like a dream come true! 🏆✨ Having my family and cast by my side made it all the more special. To everyone who poured their heart and soul into this film but couldn't be here tonight - this win is for you! Your dedication and passion made this possible, and I am deeply grateful. Here's to the entire team! 🙏❤️"

‘The Mehta Boys' has garnered widespread critical acclaim and audience appreciation since its premier at CSAFF. The film, a heartwarming family drama, showcases Boman Irani's ability to not only act but also direct with finesse. The SAFA award is a testament to his hard work, dedication, and the impact his film has made.

What Boman Irani said before the screening of his film at CSAFF

Before the screening, when Boman Irani interacted with the audience and said, "This film started many years ago, actually, with a friend, producer, and director named Sujoy Ghosh, who wanted to cast me in a film. He came over to my house while I was running a fever and pitched me a few ideas. Among them was this one-liner: ‘The Mehta Boys.' I said I wanted to do that one because I wanted to direct it. He said, ‘You've got the story,' and I'll always be grateful to him for being so generous. I began writing the film in my own silly way, just to wake my wife, Zenobia, who's here, in the middle of the night. I'd read the scenes to her, and she would groggily say, ‘It's very nice,' before going back to sleep. In the morning, I would tear off the page and realize that a lot of work needed to be done."

The actor also added, "I just want to say that everyone says it's a labour of love. I'll tell you how long this film really took: it took almost 55 days to make because I never really wanted to be an actor or a filmmaker. I always thank my mother for introducing me to cinema the way she did. She would encourage me to go to the cinema every single day, pushing me into the theatre because she knew it was for me. And thank you to my team and family for being here. Enjoy the film everyone; it's about family, and family is love."

The cast, including Avinash Tiwary and Shreya Chaudhary, were present at the festival, along with co-writer Alex Dinelaris and producers Danesh Irani of Irani Movietone and Anikta Batra of Chakboald Ltd. The movie is slated to release on Amazon Prime Video.