‘ACTORS CAN’T HAVE BEST OF EVERYTHING’

Boman Irani feels that sometimes films don’t turn out to be as great as expected, but the experiences do

Boman Irani has worked with established actors such as Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan and Akshay Kumar, among others. But, he has also worked with the younger generation, including Varun Dhawan and Sidharth Malhotra. Yet, he says he doesn’t feel the need to differentiate between the two generations. He says that he is against talking about the good old days. “The good old days weren’t always good. Every actor is unique,and has their own approach, sensibility and sense of discipline. The joy of working with each person is different.”

Boman, who believes in “individuality”, says he loves hanging out with every actor he has worked with. “I am friendly with most of them. I am not stuck with people of my generation alone. I am friends with everyone,” he says. Arshad Warsi, too, is one of his closest friends. Ask him if he is waiting for the next instalment of Munna Bhai series like Arshad is, and he says, “Yes. The whole country is. Who isn’t?”

Known to be a versatile actor, Boman has been part of movies like Munnabhai M.B.B.S. (2003), 3 Idiots (2009), and Jolly LLB (2013,) among others. But the 57-year-old doesn’t prefer any one genre. He says, “I like comedy and drama equally. It eventually boils down to the film, the screenplay and the role. The experience of doing a film matters the most. At times, films don’t turn out to be as great, but the experiences are memories you cherish forever. There have been movies that (I did) weren’t great, but the experience was awesome. As an actor, you can’t have the best of everything. You have to choose well as not every movie turns out the way you expect. But when you are part of a really good movie, it’s fulfilling.” Boman says he had “great time” working on “Jolly LLB, Housefull (2010) and Happy New Year (2014; HNY), among others. “The whole team of HNY has special memories of the film. I recently met Shah Rukh (Khan), who recalled how we would all wear the same clothes when we went around for promotions. It made me emotional. Such experiences can never be recreated.”

I like comedy and drama equally. It eventually boils down to the film, the screenplay and the role. BOMAN IRANI, ACTOR