Nobody is too small for your attention: Boman Irani

NAGPUR: “I would like to let everyone know my principle today — nothing in this world is small, not only nothing, but nobody is too small for your attention,” said actor Boman Irani at the Jal P Gimi memorial lecture in the NU convocation hall on Wednesday.
“My first ever holiday made me realize that I had achieved nothing. I was like zero watt bulb in a hotel that I was staying during that holiday.It was a total disaster, but I knew then that this was not the kind of life I want to give to my family. Instead of fighting with the hotel authorities, I knew I had to fight with myself,” he said.
“We all come to crossroads in our life, when it’s time to change the gear. When I returned from that holiday, I became the official photographer for World Championship of Boxing. The day you admit to your deficiencies and shortcomings, you take control of your life,” he said.
Boman told the audience how he earned $900 for the photographs then. “I realized that I should follow the passion and not settle for a mediocre life that I was living,” Boman said. He also shared his philosophy for life, particularly for youngsters — “Pay your dues and have patience.”
The actor also threw light on his career shift. “Shiamak Davar once came to me and took me out for lunch,” Boman said, adding, “He told me that I was an actor inside and should try for a role in theatre. Though I was sceptical, I auditioned and got a role. It was a small role, but after that I kept getting roles.”
“There was one gentleman who saw some of the clippings that were being edited in a studio and he wanted to cast me for a movie. Six months later, the gentleman called me and told about ‘Munna Bhai MBBS’. I thought this was not the kind of role that would give me a break in the industry. But, I was utterly wrong,” he said.
“My story is no different than yours. I kept questioning myself. We all do it. The ideology I followed was to never think I was more important than the person next to me. Every single autograph, I feel is my first and I still haven’t got used to it after all these years,” Boman said.
President of Bapuna industries, Shiraz Gimi, NU registrar, Puran Meshram, and pro V-C, Pramod Yeole, were present on dais along with ex-mayor Atal Bahadur Singh