Archive

A standing ovation for The Mehta Boys at the Chicago South Asian Film Festival (CSAFF) on September 20, 2024 reassured Bollywood cine star Boman Irani that his directorial debut was well received. At intervals of two days thereafter the movie won the Audience Choice Award for the Best Fiction Feature Film followed by a grand community felicitation organized by the Zoroastrian Association of Metropolitan Chicago (ZAMC). 

The Mehta Boys reflects on the relations between a father and son who although unable to see eye-to-eye are compelled by circumstances to spend 48 continuous hours together. "But there’s something more than that… Missed opportunities… The time that you have with your loved ones… Why people behave in a particular way…” stated Irani in one of the many interviews during the Festival.

  above: thematic centerpiece; r: Khursheed Ichhaporia

Known to have spent nearly eight years to co-write the script with Alexander Dinelaris Jr who had won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for the film Birdman, Irani revealed, "I expect a lot from myself… Work hard on every single detail, every single word that is in the script and every single prop that’s on the set.  Every emotion has to be felt without squeezing it. If I don’t push myself why would you want to watch the movie that we’ve made?”

The director’s favorite part of the film deals with the father’s "inability to understand that he should back off sometimes. This inability comes from being set in one’s ways... one’s ego… loss of manhood, while the son is gaining his. There is a tinge of jealousy in all this. And human stupidity. It’s so easy to sort out a problem. It’s just the way you see it. Initially he’s holding the handbrake and it bugs you. In the end he is holding the handbrake and you are smiling. Why couldn’t you smile at the beginning? It’s a tricky thing to put across.” For the audience, the takeaway may vary, for it depends on "how you react to the events, how you react to the lines, how you contextualize your life with the film.”

Film festivals, according to Irani, offer an "opportunity” to the directors as also the discerning viewers. "If people watch it, you find encouragement, a little gas.” While admitting that he was "trying to be a director at the age of 65,” Irani observed many young directors at CSAFF express pride in being there. "It gives them the energy and power to feel ‘I can go on to do better things.’ It doesn’t mean when you do better things you don’t come back here. You must come back here because this is where it all started.” In its 15th year, "the Festival screened over 70 films from 13 countries over the course of four days, with 16 world premieres and 12 US premieres, cementing the Festival’s role in providing exclusive access to these groundbreaking films for Chicago audiences,” noted a press release from CSAFF president and co-founder Ketki Parikh. As she further conveyed to Parsiana, "All of us at CSAFF were humbled and honored as this Festival was chosen by Boman Irani to present the world premiere of his directorial debut film.” 

The co-writers of The Mehta Boys were invited to conduct a masterclass during the Festival to share their experiences. They were also conferred the 2024 South Asian Film Artist Awards for their work on The Mehta Boys and their contributions to excellence in film. Irani firmly believes, "It’s important to share… careers can be made; cinema can do better. Writing is where it all begins and we have to pay a little more attention to that. Why is all that knowledge good enough for just one script? It should be good for a generation of screenwriters.” It is this same belief that makes him continue his online sessions "Spiral Bound,” 750 of which had been conducted until September 2024. It started when youngsters sought individual feedback during the pandemic. Realizing that he was repeating himself when interacting with different aspirants, he felt it would be better if undertaken online as a group exercise although he did not even then know what Zoom was! "It’s probably the best thing I have done in my life. Everything I have has come from the film industry. It’s time to give back.” 

While the film is officially yet to release on Amazon Prime Video, it was simultaneously shown on two screens at the Festival due to the high demand. Besides Vispi Cooper, time and billing manager at Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum and Nagelberg LLP who was on the CSAFF organizing committee, among the handful of Zoroastrians who had secured tickets for the event was Khursheed Ichhaporia who teaches children at ZAMC. She enjoyed seeing Irani transform himself from "a stubborn, old man to a comic, loving father,” and commended his "versatility as an actor” to portray "a human relationship that folks from all cultures can relate to.”

There were scores of Zoroastrians though who had come to join in the felicitation arranged for Boman, his wife Zenobia and son Danesh at the Arbab Rustom Guiv Darbe Mehr on September 24.

Community celebration

Ahead of Boman’s visit, the hall was decorated with film motifs, and a banner that read, "We are proud of all that you and Irani Movietone have achieved.” Posters were created showing Boman holding aloft his awards. The centerpiece on the circular tables included popcorn containers, a mini paper reel denoting a film reel and copies of cinema tickets. Boman and Zenobia were welcomed at the entrance with an achhoo-michhoo ceremony and a khushali nu geet (joyous song) for ‘aapro Bomanji.’ 

In his welcome address, ZAMC director and treasurer, Tushad Driver commented that "Most stars give us entertainment but you have given us the gift of memories… Your versatility, screen presence and sense of humor are undeniable... We relate with you, Boman, unlike anyone else in any movie. Sure we love our Khans and Bachchans, but in you, we see people close to us who have deeply impacted us in our lives, positively and negatively… Boman has crossed cultural, language and age barriers to enthrall and entertain audiences all over the world for over 20 years. And he’s done that with a level of success that few can match.”

A fireside chat, vaat cheet between Boman and Ichhaporia enabled the attendees to better understand the man and actor. She described him as "an actor extraordinaire (who) can write and direct… and what a debut this was… A family man, you are so rooted although you are now so famous. You are a genius.” Interjected Boman, "É vari kah thi aayu (where did you get this from)?”

The black and white vanity plate (brief visual sequence to identify the production company) of Irani Movietone founded by Boman and his family shows an older man in a sudreh-kusti and topi fiddling with a projector, while an adjoining table bears an aluminum kettle with a glass of the famous Irani chai. The man urges two little children to look out of the window of the projector room that opens onto a screen which has the logo of Irani Movietone resting on the winged base of the asho farohar motif atop an Ionic column. To Boman, this was symbolic of his mother encouraging him to watch movies at the Alexandra Cinema in his Grant Road vicinity. That theater was co-founded by the legendary Ardeshir Irani, father of the Indian talkie film era. Boman was delighted therefore that present in the audience were Ardeshir’s grandson Mehraboon and great-grandson Ardeshir.

"You are equal parts genius and entertainer — an inspiration to many… In sincere appreciation of your amazing contributions to the performing arts,” read the plaque presented to Boman by the Zarathushtis of Chicago. The enthusiastic band of volunteers had originally planned a Chicago style dinner (Giordano’s deepdish pizza, Portillo’s Italian beef sandwiches, Ely’s cheesecake ...), but when they learnt that the Irani family did not eat pork and beef, they switched the menu to pulao-dar, sali-chicken and bhaji-per-eedoo. A mava boi specially made by Chicago resident Roshan Rivetna, erstwhile editor of FEZANA (Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America) Journal, was placed on his table. But he picked up the plate and walked around from table to table, offering pieces and loudly announcing "Roshan-ni boi.”

At Parsiana’s request, Rivetna recounted, "We were so very impressed with his warmth and genuine affection for the community. In spite of his celebrity stature — he became one of us, prayed reverently in our prayer room when our mobeds did a Tandorosti, happily took photos (obliging everyone), sang My Way, joked with us, raised his glass and heartily sang Chhaiyé Hamé Zarthoshti with our ZAMC choir. Several times, he came to the podium and warmly expressed how overwhelmed he was with the affection and respect shown to him.”

While Zenobia acknowledged that she was "overwhelmed” with the affection showered on them, Boman added, "With so much love, our heart becomes bigger and bigger… It was in many ways a night to remember.”

Honorary life membership

Nearly a fortnight earlier, Zoroastrians in Chicago had assembled to honor Dastur Khurshed and Havovi Dastoor of Udvada with the honorary life membership of ZAMC. The plaque presented to them on September 7 read, "In sincere appreciation of your life’s work and dedication to our Zarathushti community worldwide.” ZAMC president Jamshed Rivetna and a few youngsters of the community also presented a purse to the High Priest.

Blessing the community with a Tandorosti in the Prayer Hall, the High Priest led the congregation in the recitation of Yatha Ahu Vairyo and Ashem Vohu with all present linking hands. Stressing the importance of coming together, Khurshed said: "A prayer done in unison with so many of you, gives more power… We know that we have all come together to strengthen our community… May the Zoroastrians of Chicago survive and grow more and more, and prosper and make us really proud of you.” The evening ended with a pulao-dal dinner.

As per a report in the ZAMC newsletter shared by Kayomarsh Mehta, Khurshed spoke about the rather disturbing situation of mobeds in India and how overseas Zoroastrians could help. He urged FEZANA member associations to "adopt an agiary.” This was followed by a discussion on topics of relevance to Zoroastrians in North America — mobeds, interfaith marriages, acceptance, etc.  

 above: youth brigade

The following day, the children, youth, teachers and parents of the ZAMC religion education classes interacted with the High Priest. "The meeting started with Vada Dasturji leading about 40 students and their families in a humbandagi style Tandorosti prayer recited within a circle of unity and trust. This was followed by Vada Dasturji presenting an insightful talk with beautiful visuals illuminating the Udvada Atash Behram, its significance to our global diaspora, its design and renovation, the role of Zoroastrian philanthropy, and the need to respect and truly understand the sacrifices and values of our mobeds and their families. An excellent question and answer session got our youth and children actively discussing religion, culture and identity. Vada Dasturji not only imparted wisdom but also (demonstrated) what it means to engage young individuals in meaningful and interesting dialog,” noted the report. 

After the session, the community was led in prayer by Ervad Vispi Karkaria of Chicago. This was followed by lunch with the community. The High Priest’s strongest message to the gathering was to make sure to visit the Iranshah, "the soul of our Zoroastrian community, and to expose our youth to the peace and spiritual connection that one can experience from being connected to our roots and heritage.” At yet another meeting, hosted by the Rivetnas, the priests and community stalwarts exchanged thoughts on how "we could elevate our mobeds and perpetuate our faith and traditions in North America.”