Virus from 3 Idiots to respread his magic on stage

After a 10-year hiatus, versatile actor Boman Irani will be seen in a fundraising play titled Rusty Screws.

NEW DELHI: With around 40 plays to his credit, theatre and film actor Boman Irani is all set to return to the stage after a decade. The 54 year old, who has carved his own niche in the Hindi film industry, feels that while theatre is not a “stepping stone in the process of becoming a Hindi film actor,” it’s a medium for “truthful schooling.” “Theatre is certainly an ideal place to learn [acting], getting theatre discipline and to develop characters, but it is not necessarily a ticket to Bollywood,” he said.

Previously, he has featured in plays such as Family Ties and Mahatma vs Gandhi and is now back to theatre via his alma mater St Mary’s School’s fundraising play titled Rusty Screws. He admits he would love to do more theatre, but for now, he’s doing it only for his school. “I wasn’t prepared to go back to theatre just yet. The reason why I agreed to do this is simply because it involved my school and we were doing a fundraiser for it,” shared the versatile actor.

In an age where many actors end up doing stereotypical roles, Boman has proven his mettle by playing diverse roles, ranging from a villain to a comedian. He credits this to his choice of fresh scripts and unique stories and the filmmakers who trust his potential. “We have certain principles on the basis of which we deal with our careers, but there are people outside of your being who are, in many ways, the architects of your career. How they shape your career and how they feel you are fit for their film is gratifying.” he commented.



And so, he says, he has been able to display his versatility thanks to his directors. “My good fortune of doing a variety of roles is not because I have gone out and looked for a variety of roles, but because of filmmakers’ faith in me. The credit goes to them, not to me,” added the actor.

Boman is also open to working on the small screen if he gets a chance to fulfil his passion for acting. “Acting is acting whether it is on the stage, television or screen. There is no difference in the preparation of the character. Even if you are doing a character in a short film, it’s all about acting. If tomorrow there is something really exciting on television, I am open to anything as long as it is acting,” he said.

Boman started his career in Bollywood in 2001 with films such as Josh and Everybody Says I’m Fine!, but his claim to fame was his portrayal of JC Asthana in Rajkumar Hirani’s 2003 hit comedy Munnabhai MBBS. He was then appreciated for his roles in films including Being Cyrus, Lage Raho Munna Bhai, Khosla Ka Ghosla, Don  — The Chase Begins Again and 3 Idiots.  

Published in The Express Tribune, June 18^th, 2014.

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