Boman Irani’s Cinematic Journey Comes Full Circle as ‘The Mehta Boys’ Premieres at Regal Cinema to a Standing Ovation

In a history-making moment of nostalgia, Boman Irani’s directorial debut The Mehta Boys premiered last night at Mumbai’s iconic Regal Cinema in Colaba as part of the Kalaghoda Festival. For Irani, this was more than just a film screening—it was a homecoming, a journey back to where his love for cinema first took root at the theatre he visited countless times to watch all the classics.

The audience was spellbound by the heartwarming narrative that The Mehta Boys unfolds— a touching exploration of love and a bittersweet father-son relationship. The film was met with thunderous applause, culminating in a standing ovation, as an overwhelmed Boman Irani stood in the very theatre where he once sat as a wide-eyed dreamer.

As he took the stage, Irani couldn’t hold back his emotions, giving a heartfelt shout-out to his family, cast, and crew for being part of this monumental moment in his life. He also took a poignant moment to honor a special figure from his childhood—Aslam, a gentleman who has been projecting films at Regal Cinema for an astonishing 53 years.

Reflecting on his childhood memories, he said, “I remember watching The Sound of Music, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Von Ryan’s Express, Oh God, Agony and Ecstasy, and Kramer vs. Kramer among others multiple times. I’ve sat in every single seat that you all have occupied today. Today, I get to see The Mehta Boys on this very screen, in this very theatre, with all of you who are showing so much love. It makes me incredibly emotional to see my family here. Today is a special day in my life—I feel like I’ve come to my graduation. It’s like a childhood dream come true.”

The Mehta Boys has been making waves long before its premiere. Its trailer garnered immense praise, with industry stalwarts like Anil Kapoor, Abhishek Bachchan, Riteish Deshmukh lauding Irani’s storytelling finesse and directorial prowess. The film had already created a buzz on the international stage, premiering at the Indian Film Festival (IFFI) in Berlin, Germany.

Directed by Boman Irani and starring him along with Avinash Tiwary, Shreya Chaudhry, and Puja Sarup, ‘The Mehta Boys’ is set to premiere on February 7th on Amazon Prime Video.