Is he an adult? Is he a child? He is your father. In his first directorial venture, Boman Irani renders a keenly observed, lived experience of an urban Indian family as he finds the simple answer to the tricky question. The tension between father and son never goes out of fashion in creative space, but the expression often tilts towards one generation or the other. Boman and co-writer Alexander Dinelaris (of Birdman fame) walk the rope in this tender exploration of a jagged relationship that leaves a sobering impact. Rich in detail, redolent with melancholy, and peppered with meaningful motifs, the film caresses a raw nerve. The duo generates a dialogue between two generations without getting pedantic, without losing sight of the plot.
A charming, emerging architect struggling to find his voice in the boardroom, Amay (Avinash Tiwary) returns home after the sudden demise of his mother to see his grieving father Shiv (Boman) wilt. Though grappling with loss, Shiv doesn’t seek his son’s shoulder to cry. Amay doesn’t offer it either. Like most Indian families, the two share a silent relationship that appears strained from the outside. His sister Ana (Shikha Sarup) is the link connecting the two. She wants to take her father to the US. But is the father ready to make the emotional shift? She bribes him with his favourite meal, but Shiv sees through the design.
The ‘boys’ in the title perhaps come from the point of view of the two self-assured girls in the film, looking for a method, a logic in the relationship. It remains unsaid, but the gaze suggests that they see the father and son sparring like boys as a waste of time and energy. They are well-meaning but don’t truly feel the purpose of the spiky contours of this delicate bond.
Circumstances force Shiv to spend two days with Amay and confront the fault lines. The septuagenarian boy refuses to accept a helping hand. He treats Amay as if he is driving his life with a learner’s licence. In an insightful scene, Shiv talks to a mason to check Amay’s understanding of architecture. No wonder Amay feels his ‘redundant’ father makes fun of his work and lifestyle, not realising he is an unfinished project that requires some tinkering.
The production design, camera movements, and background score add to the mood. Be it the sound of an automobile, the colours of Holi, or the zoom lens, Boman uses myriad motifs to make the mundane magical. That red sari or the white veni that keeps the memories of the beloved alive…amidst the ordinariness of grief, there is a hint of magical realism as well. Moreover, Boman and Dinelaris deftly juxtapose the commentary on contemporary Indian architecture with the barbs that the father and son throw at each other. Glass and steel don’t always meet the demands of the Indian climate. We need to keep the jharokhas or the small windows open to keep the heat out and the relationships ventilated. Even when the situation gets predictable, the conversations keep us invested.
The best part is that Boman and Avinash look and talk like father and son. The intricate architecture of Avinash’s close-up invites you into the mental maze of Amay. While Avinash is adept at underplaying the emotional turmoil of his characters, Boman accentuates the Parsi father’s tone and tenor in his trademark style. He has inhabited this space before. He packs his comic tropes in the suitcase but allows them to show up from the side in a good way.
A still from ‘The Mehta Boys’
| Photo Credit:
Prime Video
Shikha Sarup uses her experience in theatre to make the usual sister part shine. Shreya Chaudhry is efficient as the puzzled sounding board to a boy who doesn’t behave the way he is expected to, and Siddharth Basu lends class to the smartly written boardroom discussion.
In a bid to keep the pot boiling, the narrative falls into a pattern after a point. The lessons threaten to become declamatory, the airport conundrum reduces to a plot device, and there are moments in the second half where Boman’s performance almost transcends into the theatrical zone. Eventually, however, the loose threads come together, making it a textured experience.
The Mehta Boys is currently streaming on Prime Video
Published – February 07, 2025 04:22 pm IST
Hindi cinema
/
Indian cinema
