Boman Irani, the beloved actor known for films like ‘Munna Bhai MBBS’, ‘3 Idiots’, ‘Don’, and ‘PK’, turns 66 today. His life story remains one of the most inspiring journeys in Indian cinema. From working long shifts at the Taj hotel to becoming one of Bollywood’s most memorable performers, Irani’s path shows that determination can rewrite any destiny.
His early struggle and the hotel that shaped him
In the interview with Humans of Bombay, Irani said ,after finishing college, he wasn’t sure where to begin. “When I got done with college, I knew I had to start contributing to the family, but I didn’t know how. So I met the manager of a Taj hotel and told him that I wanted to 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 and a half did I finally become a waiter at that restaurant! “In the old post, he posted on Instagram a video revisiting the hotel’s corridors. He captioned it, “Life comes full circle…” In the clip, he remembered carrying trays of tea and breakfast up and down those halls. He called it “a great learning experience, It taught me discipline; it taught me that in life, nothing comes easy. You’ve got to pay your dues and work hard.”
Years at his mother’s shop
Before acting entered his life, Boman spent 14 years running his mother’s wafer shop.In the same interview, he said, “Soon after, my mom met with an accident, so I left my job and sat at the shop. And before I knew it I had spent 14 years there.” He later said during that time, he got married and hadkids. Yet something felt incomplete. His creative spark pushed him to explore beyond the shop’s counter. Encouraged by his wife, he slowly returned to theatre and performance, searching for meaning in a new direction and started photography.
The turning point with ‘Munnabhai MBBS’
Everything changed when ‘Munna Bhai MBBS’ came his way. In an interview with Hindustan times, he said “My initial films were experimental. They were in English; one was even shot on a handycam. But when Munna Bhai MBBS happened, I had to give up my day job of a photographer, and since then, I haven’t found the time to go back to my shop,”Irani has often expressed deep gratitude toward director Rajkumar Hirani, he said “I will do anything to be with Raju. He is great fun to be with”. He also added about PK, where he had a minor part, he once said he had “no regrets” because working with Hirani always feels special.
Why he believes he bloomed late in Bollywood at the age of 44
In an interview with ANI, Boman addressed the idea of being a late debutant in Bollywood. Speaking honestly, he said the industry isn’t responsible for whether someone succeeds early or late.He explained, “I don’t think Bollywood is responsible for late bloomers or early bloomers… It is up to the individual to be responsible for their bloom.”Boman added that dreams must come with dedication, saying, “You make your own luck… come with dreams, but at the same time, come with craft.”
Boman Irani on the work front
On the work front, Boman Irani will be seen in the Prabhas starrer, ‘The Raja Saab’ which is scheduled for a release on January 9, 2026. The film also stars Sanjay Dutt and Malavika Mohanan in pivotal roles. Notably, Boman Irani was last seen as Raja Sahab in Anupam Kher’s ‘Tanvi The Great’. Go to Source
