The Mehta Boys Review: Boman Irani Plays Usual Shade of Grumpy in Dad-Son Drama
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Ask anybody what they think Boman Irani’s most memorable role is, and they’ll probably talk about the grumpy, authoritarian Professor Viru Sahastrabudhhe, aka Virus, from the smash hit 3 Idiots, or the short-tempered, stern Dr. Asthana from Munna Bhai M.B.B.S., another beloved Bollywood comedy. So for his directorial debut, The Mehta Boys, Boman Irani sticks to what he does best – playing yet another grumpy old man, this time as the hero himself, or, well, the hero’s father, depending on how you perceive the film.
The Mehta Boys starts off by introducing Amay Mehta (Avinash Tiwary), an architect with imposter syndrome working for a big Mumbai firm. During a crucial meeting, Amay learns that his mother has passed away, so he rushes to his hometown in Gujarat, where it becomes apparent that he cannot see eye to eye with his aloof father, Shiv Mehta (Boman Irani). While Amay’s sister, Anu (Puja Sarup), plans to take their grieving father to America, to Amay’s horror, he is stuck with his father for a few days in Mumbai. Will the estranged father and son survive living together or tear each other’s hair out? Well, that’s really the crux of the story, although a filmy subplot about how Shiv inspires Amay to finally grow a spine at work takes center stage in the second half of The Mehta Boys.
Bollywood isn’t new to exploring stormy ‘parent-children’ relationships, ‘The Mehta Boys’ might remind some of the 2022 Bollywood drama Goodbye, starring Amitabh Bachchan, which shares a slightly similar plot – a father navigates the unexpected death of his beloved wife while also dealing with his disconnected children. But Boman Irani is no Big B, and even though he pulls off the role of a grieving husband/difficult father, you can’t help but feel that something is missing. And the slow pace of the film doesn’t help. Besides, though the title hints at a nuanced take on both father and son, the film, like many sentimental Bollywood dramas, ultimately skews toward portraying the younger generation as the primary problem.
The Mehta Boys shines best in moments where the turbulent relationship between Amay and his father is at play. For instance, it’s low-key comical when Shiv keeps turning off the lights in Amay’s Mumbai flat seconds after Amay turns them on, or when he keeps his hand on the handbrake while Amay is driving, displaying his lack of trust in his son. However, these relatable parent-child moments are dulled by the slow pace of the film and the overtly serious tone that pervades most scenes. The intertwining of Amay’s turbulent relationship with his father and his struggles at work feels awkward and even unnecessary. It’s one of those too good to be true tropes, where a single piece of advice from an elder who doesn’t even know much about your field magically changes your life. Sure, the themes of generational conflict and self-discovery are interesting, but don’t blend in a complementary way.
Avinash Tiwary puts his best foot forward in The Mehta Boys, as does Boman Irani. However, the film needed more balance between their characters and a few more laughs to be truly entertaining. Overall, this familiar tale is a decent one-time watch with the family.
Rating: 2.5 on 5 stars. ‘The Mehta Boys’ is on Prime Video.
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