Bollywood actor, Boman Irani lessons us on how we should not put an age limit to our dreams and plans. Recently, he opened up about his dream career in Bollywood that took flight at the age of 35!
When we are young and silly, dreams are our reality. However, once we grow up, our dreams are replaced with facts, can's and can'ts of the society, and we are told that dreams expire with age. So, according to the masses, once you cross the 30's or 40's, you cannot follow your passions, but Bollywood actor, Boman Irani proved it all wrong as he made his dreams come true at the age of 35. (Recommend Read: Ayushmann Khurrana's Reaction On Tahira Kashyap's Instagram Post Giving It Back To The Trollers)
Before we take you further into the story, let us take a look back at the waiter turned actor's glorious journey to Bollywood. Boman showed the world that you are never too old to make another plan or dream a new dream. He made a mark with his excellent comic timing and unique acting style. And we still can't get over his outstanding performances in films like Munnabhai M.B.B.S, Khosla Ka Ghosla, 3 Idiots and many more.
Recently, Boman spilled the beans of his acting journey in an interview with Humans of Bombay. The actor talked about his childhood and how his mom became the bread earner of the family as he had lost his father even before he was born. Boman shared, "I lost my dad before I was born. He ran a wafer shop & after him, my mom took over. My sisters had school, so my mom had to leave me at the fire temple with the priest’s wife, while she ran a shop." (Also Read: Piyush Sahdev Estranged Husband Of 'RadhaKrishn' Fame Akangsha Rawat, Finds Love In Actress?)
He shared how he had seen his mom fighting the gloomy days alone but became the source of inspiration for him, "I watched her fighting alone, for years. Soon I started school, but I had speech & learning disabilities. I remember I had started singing to better my speech. And once at a performance, mom recorded the applause I got. It was so loud! I kept hearing it, it got my confidence back!"
Boman further talked about working as a waiter, and stated, "I studied science after school, but I’d still take part in theatre & other arts. After college got over, I had to start contributing to the family. So I met the manager of a Taj hotel & asked for work at the rooftop restaurant. He said, ‘To reach the top, you have to start from the bottom.’ So he sent me to work in room service. Only after a year & a half did I become a waiter at that restaurant!"
And then destiny played its game and he had to leave the job as a waiter to support his mom, "Soon after, my mom met with an accident, so I quit my job & sat at the shop. And before I knew it, 14 years went by -- during that time I met my wife, got married & even had kids. But throughout, something was amiss. So my wife encouraged me to explore. I loved photography & my dad was a photographer too. So I tried that & after some struggle, I started doing well. At the time, a friend got me to audition for an ad. I did & I got selected! So I decided to pursue it & in a few years, I did over 180 ads & even some popular plays. I was also offered a short film. It had a low budget & was going to be shot on a handycam, but for me, it was a golden opportunity!"
Boman revealed how he met Vidhu Vinod Chopra, who gave him the golden ticket to Bollywood, "My life changed completely when Vidhu Vinod Chopra saw a clip of the film. He got in touch & asked to meet me. When we met, he gave me a check of 2 lakhs to be in his next film. He didn't even have a film yet, but he didn't want me to become famous & not give him dates. That’s when Munnabhai MBBS happened & at 35, my dream career began. It was unexpected – but I grabbed the opportunity & didn’t let go. It’s been an amazing journey, one that did put me through some turbulence. But through all the good, the bad & the ugly, I learned to keep my hopes up & more than anything, know that it’s never too late to start over!”
Boman is a true inspirer as he showed us how our happiness is just a decision away. Earlier, in an interview, he had talked about his journey, and had said, "If there is passion in your heart and fire in your belly there is no one who can stop you from moving forward. As a kid I had a speech defect, I had a lisp, I used to actually talk like my character Virus from 3 Idiots. To make matters worse I was dyslexic, who was not good at academics. People used to call me Boman the duffer. So I decided to do a course to be a waiter and joined The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel as a waiter. I worked there for 2 years and put my heart in it. My granny used to say – ‘gali ka mochi bano, toh bhi sabse acha mochi bano’, basically be the best in anything you do and that has stayed with me always." (Don't Miss: Sidharth Malhotra Loves His And Kiara Advani's Jodi, Talks About His Rumoured Affair With Her)
Well, Boman's journey from a waiter to an actor is truly inspiring! What do you think?