Days after his wife’s passing, Boman Irani’s character in The Mehta Boys is feverishly composing his will as he prepares to leave the home he has lived in his entire life. ‘This is home!’ yells Boman’s character as his daughter begs him to stop till they reach ‘home’. No filmmaker has really made use of this man’s gift, as seen by the way his eyes water and his voice breaks when he says it. To bring forth the best in actor Boman Irani, director Boman was required. However, that performance is only one aspect of The Mehta Boys. It is an incredibly straightforward and sympathetic movie that does a lot right and features some of the best, most subtle performances in recent years. It is a slice-of-life film that the doyens of Hindi parallel cinema would be proud of.
In The Mehta Boys, Avinash Tiwary plays a young architect in Mumbai who balances his goals with his romance with Shreya Chaudhry, who plays a charming character. After his mother passes away, he is compelled to face his estranged father. There are disagreements between the father and son. “If I tell him to breathe, he will hold his breath till he dies,” the child says. However, before Mehta senior can join his daughter in the US, the two are forced to stay together for days due to a combination of circumstances and a feisty sister (Puja Sarup is one of the film’s highlights). The Mehta Boys focuses on how both guys are shaped by modern life.
The film is anchored by Boman Irani. We can easily forget that he is the actor we have been watching for more than 20 years thanks to his body language, eyes, accent, and mannerisms. He transitions into the role with such ease. In certain scenes, he allows his eyes speak for him, whether they are the ones that sparkle or the ones that are hurt and angry. However, Irani never goes overboard and is always measured. In instances where his character must be eccentric, he does a wonderful job of conveying relatability. Both the actor and the script by Irani and Oscar winner Alexander Dinelaris deserve praise for this.
His ideal adversary is Avinash Tiwary. In Laila Majnu, the actor reminds us all why we adored him. Unlike the ‘leading males’ of Hindi cinema, he gives his character in The Mehta Boys a human touch. Mehta Junior exhibits flaws, vulnerability, anger, and even callousness at times. However, he is merely someone who is attempting to be decent; he is neither good nor bad.
Nor are the ladies on the sidelines. The moral compass of the movie is provided by Puja Sarup and Shreya Chaudhry, two female characters who are sympathetic to these men’s stubbornness. However, they will not resolve their relationship for them; instead, they will let them handle it independently. With a combination of physical performance that gives her a genuine appearance, Puja excels in her roles. Her outburst at the airport makes her my favourite film character this year so far. Shreya proves that Bandish Bandits was not a fluke. The girl can act, bringing confidence, panache, and sensitivity together.
The Mehta Boys’ subtlety is their USP. It’s a straightforward tale that never tries to be more. The narrative illustrates how we avoid confrontations and treat our loved ones unfairly by using metaphors such as a presentation, a professional conversation, and a handbrake. This film is a wonderful watch because it subtly illustrates the contrasts between father and son through scenes involving light switches and restaurant bills. The plot is beautifully complemented by the music and cinematography. Mumbai has been given a soul that not many movies are able to capture. Even the profession of architecture is given new life in the movie.
A compelling story is frequently sufficient to create a watchable movie, as demonstrated by The Mehta Boys. You have a fantastic watch when you combine outstanding performances with additional technological details. This is for everyone who complains that “Bollywood” has strayed from producing realistic and relevant movies. You can watch The Mehta Boys on Amazon Prime Video.
