'Rustom' revives memories for Boman Irani's family

Akshay Kumar's upcoming drama 'Rustom', which is inspired by the KM Nanavati case, has piqued the curiosity of viewers. It has also revived the memories of many people who followed the sensational trial closely. Boman Irani's family too was one of them. In fact, the actor was born during that time. After the film's promo released last month, apparently it became a talking point within his family.
The case revolved around Nanavati, who was in the dock after he shot Prem Ahuja, his wife Sylvia's boyfriend, on November 1, 1959.Given that the then Indian Navy Commander (Nanavati) was considered a hero for his service to the country, the incident captured public attention. Also, since a jury was to decide whether he had committed the act 'in the heat of the moment' or it was 'a pre-meditated murder', people thronged the courts to know the verdict.
A source close to Boman's family tells us that the scenario outside the court resembled today's media circus. He says, 'Now, news goes viral on social media and then percolates to newspapers and television channels. Back in those days, we only had the print media and radio. Many people attended the hearings to get first-hand information.'
He adds, 'Cdr Nanavati was an icon of that time. It was a landmark case as it was the last time a jury sat on trial. So, with 'Rustom' coming up it has brought back memories of that incident.'