Boman Irani is an Indian actor known for his work primarily in Hindi cinema. He came to acting relatively late in life, transitioning from a career in photography and hospitality, and has since become one of the most recognised character actors in the Indian film industry. He is widely regarded for his versatility across comic, dramatic and antagonistic roles.
| Full name | Boman Irani |
|---|---|
| Born | 2 December 1959, Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra, India |
| Community | Parsi (Zoroastrian) |
| Occupation | Actor, voice artist, photographer |
| Years active | 1990s onwards (theatre); 2000 onwards (film) |
| Spouse | Zenobia Irani |
| Children | Kayoze Irani, Danesh Irani |
| Notable films | Munna Bhai M.B.B.S., Lage Raho Munna Bhai, 3 Idiots, Don, Khosla Ka Ghosla, PK |
Boman Irani was born and brought up in Mumbai in a Parsi family. His father died before he was born, and he was raised by his mother, who ran a small provisions store in the Grant Road area of south Mumbai. He has spoken publicly about overcoming a stammer and dyslexia in his early years. He attended The Mystic School and later studied at St. Xavier's College, Mumbai.
Before entering the entertainment industry, he worked for several years as a waiter and in hotel service at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai. He subsequently took up still photography professionally, working as a sports and theatre photographer, before drifting into acting through the stage.
Irani began his acting career on the Mumbai English-language stage in the 1990s. He worked extensively with directors such as Alyque Padamsee and gained particular attention for his roles in productions including Mahatma vs. Gandhi, in which he played Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi opposite Mahatma's son Harilal Gandhi. The production was directed by Feroz Abbas Khan and toured widely in India and abroad.
Irani made his Hindi film debut in a notable role with Everybody Says I'm Fine! (2001), directed by Rahul Bose. He came to wider attention with Vidhu Vinod Chopra's productions, beginning with Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. (2003), in which he played the strict medical college dean Dr. J. Asthana opposite Sanjay Dutt. The role established him as a major character actor in Hindi cinema.
He reprised the role of Dr. Asthana in Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006), directed by Rajkumar Hirani. His other prominent collaborations with Hirani include 3 Idiots (2009), in which he played the autocratic college director Viru Sahastrabuddhe ("Virus"), and PK (2014). He also worked with director Farhan Akhtar in Don (2006) and Don 2 (2011), playing the police officer DCP D'Silva.
Other notable films include Being Cyrus (2005), Khosla Ka Ghosla (2006), Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd. (2007), Jolly LLB (2013), Happy New Year (2014), Dilwale (2015), and Made in China (2019). He has also appeared in international projects, including the Hollywood film The Sound of Magic and a role in the historical drama Shantaram.
Irani made his directorial debut with The Mehta Boys (2024), a film he also co-wrote. He has additionally been involved in screenwriting and acting workshops in India.
Boman Irani has received several Filmfare Awards in the Best Performance in a Comic Role and Best Supporting Actor categories for films such as Munna Bhai M.B.B.S., Lage Raho Munna Bhai and 3 Idiots. He has also been honoured at various other Indian film awards including the Screen Awards and the IIFA Awards. In 2019, he received an honorary doctorate from Anglia Ruskin University, United Kingdom, in recognition of his contribution to the arts.
Boman Irani is married to Zenobia Irani. The couple has two sons, Danesh Irani and Kayoze Irani; the latter is an actor and filmmaker who has worked in Hindi cinema. The family is based in Mumbai.
Boman Irani is frequently cited as an example of a successful late entrant to Hindi cinema, having taken up film acting in his forties. His range across roles such as the antagonistic dean in Munna Bhai M.B.B.S., the eccentric father-in-law in Khosla Ka Ghosla, the comic patriarch in Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd., and the principal in 3 Idiots has contributed to a renewed appreciation for character actors in mainstream Indian cinema during the 2000s and 2010s.