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Meet actor who fought dyslexia in childhood, worked in wafers shop for 14 years, debuted in Bollywood at 41 with Shah Rukh Khan, now known for his versatility
Let’s look at the filmography of an actor who made an impactful debut with Shah Rukh Khan at the age of 41. Before that he worked as a waiter and, hotel staff member, photographer and much more.
As they say, destiny always has the best plans aligned for you. Let’s talk about an actor par excellence who stepped into Bollywood with Shah Rukh Khan at the age of 41. Before that, he also did odd jobs and battled dyslexia. It’s none other than the ever-so-versatile Boman Irani.
Boman Irani was born in Mumbai on December 2, 1959, to an Irani Zoroastrian family. His father passed away six months before he was born. He was dyslexic and used to lisp a lot during his childhood. While speaking at an event earlier this year, the Dunki actor revealed that people would laugh when he used to speak.
“I would be afraid that people would make fun of me. It took me many years to understand that you can’t afford to be afraid,” he said. He added it was his mother who recognized his love for being on stage and encouraged him to join the theater and seek help from a speech therapist.
After his schooling, he undertook a 2-year waiter course and briefly worked as a waiter and room service staff at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. He also delved into professional photography from 1987 to 1989.
The actor also helped his mother in their bakery and namkeen shop. Recalling his experience with Jist last year, the 3 Idiots actor mentioned having worked for 14 years in the shop; he used to smell ghee and potatoes. Though he used to feel bad about it, his wife encouraged him to wear it like a “badge of honor.”
He noted that he was a successful shopkeeper, yet he wanted to be an actor and director. The 64-year-old actor learned acting under the guidance of Hansraj Sindhia’s guidance between 1981 and 1983.
After making a mark with his work in theatrical plays, the actor finally stepped into Bollywood with Shah Rukh Khan’s Josh, which was followed by his iconic performances in movies like Let’s Talk, Munnabhai M.B.B.S., Lage Raho Munna Bhai, 3 Idiots, Dostana, Waqt and more.
Apart from being a stellar performer, Irani is also a motivational speaker, director, producer, and co-founder of the production company Irani Movietone.
On the professional front, Boman was last seen in Dunki. Additionally, he recently had the screening of his upcoming film, The Mehta Boys, at the Chicago South Asian Film Festival 2024.
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