The Mehta Boys is the cinematic version of a father pulling out that old dusty photo album – by turns nostalgic, a bit irritating, but ultimately warming your heart.
Movies about father-son relations are an acquired taste and when done right, they reel us in like when Jerry had Renee at hello. So, when Boman Irani’s directorial debut — starring the latest superstar-in-the-making, at least in this scribe’s books, Avinash Tiwary and Virus, we mean, Boman Irani himself — about the strained bond between an old-school father and his modern-focused son came out, we canceled our appointments, dimmed the lights, grabbed the tissue box and sat down to watch, with our finger hovering on the speed dial, ready to call dad the instant we got too emotional.
So, did we? Let’s find out.
What’s The Mehta Boys Story About?
Just so we’re all on the same page, The Mehta Boys focuses on the story of a bereaved father, Shiv (Irani), and his architect son, Amay (Tiwary). Their relationship seems to have frosted long ago due to some incident that you feel will be addressed somewhere down the line. For now, there’s as much warmth between the two as frozen parathas from last week. Mom just passed away, leaving a huge vacuum neither Shiv nor Amay knows how to fill.
Enter big sis Ana (Shikha Sarup) who’s determined to whisk Dad off to the US so that presumably all can be well in a Florida suburb. Of course, Shiv – sporting the stubbornness that can only come from seven decades of confidence and crotchety retorts – says no thanks.
Meanwhile, Amay grapples with major second-guessing at his architecture firm. He’s got a job, a fleeting romance, and apparently, no clue how to navigate this unspoken father-son meltdown. The result? A father resisting his own vulnerability, and a son who clutches his resentment like a precious blueprint.
But Fate (capital F) sneaks in. Shiv lands in Amay’s Mumbai pad, and circumstances force them to spend a weekend under the same roof – awkward phone calls, baggy boxer shorts, and all. Cue the barbs, those micro-aggressions, and eventually, the reveal of what actually caused the rift in the first place. It’s your typical father-meets-son standoff, except it’s laced with the comedic charm Boman always brings – but also tempered by enough sincerity to make you sniffle, possibly reach for that speed dial after all.
What Works?
Bridging Two Generations
We get a father who thinks solutions always come from pen and paper and a son who designs with glass and steel – guess how well that conversation goes. Yet the father’s stubborn “you’re only driving with a learner’s permit, kid” vibe and the son’s “I’m a grown man, Dad, get off my case” stance feed off each other in a surprisingly heartfelt way. The duo’s tension remains centerstage but peppered with comedic bits – Boman’s style of humor slipping out the side door just often enough to relieve the weight.
Avinash Tiwary
We stand by it: Avinash might just be the next big thing. Here, he’s all quiet frustration and sharp eyes. He stares holes into the room whenever his father goes off. If you’ve watched him in earlier roles, you’ll see him leveling up the subtlety. The architectural references swirl around him, forming an apt metaphor for the incomplete building that is their father-son bond.
Boman Being Boman
Boman Irani, the actor, exudes paternal comedic timing with that classic Parsi edge. Boman Irani, the director, deploys interesting motifs, from the beep of an elevator to the red color of the wife’s old sari, weaving an unexpectedly enchanting vibe into everyday heartbreak. One moment, he’s waxing nostalgic about the good old days of typewriter schools; the next, he’s measuring his son’s abilities with the help of a random mason. Classic Boman.
Production Elements
The camera roams the small corners of Amay’s battered apartment and contrasts them with big sweeping shots of Mumbai’s glass tower skyline. It’s visually symbolic – father sees old jharokhas, son sees modern high-rises, and the audience sees how they might never align. The background score unobtrusively helps us slip into that mellow father-son mood.
Also Read: Sikandar Review
What Doesn’t Work?
Over-Familiar Plot Points
After the third tiff, you may think: “Been here, done that.” Father doesn’t respect son’s job, son hates father’s intrusions – we get it, guys, let’s move forward. Eventually, it does, but the journey meanders a bit in the second half.
Airport Conundrum
Is it just a plot device or does it actually add tension? We see father dithering over flights to Tampa, Florida, but that storyline sometimes feels forced. If you’ve spent any time with Boman’s comedic brand, you’ll sense him dangerously close to overdoing it. He reels it back mostly, but not before you notice the borderline theatrics.
Deja Mu: The Feeling You’ve Seen This Movie Before
Yes, father-son dramas are a dime a dozen, but here’s where The Mehta Boys stands out: it’s not about a father lecturing his rebellious adult child or a rebellious kid ignoring a clueless father. Both men are equally stiff-necked, equally wounded, equally frustrated. And so Boman, along with Birdman’s Alexander Dinelaris, reworks a well-known recipe (troubled father, wounded son) into something more “Sicilian pizza with Indian spice” – familiar, yes, but layered with unexpected tang.
Lost in Translation
There are fleeting moments where the dialogue tips over from “moving” to “lecture-y,” especially regarding modern vs. traditional architecture or fleeting fatherly wisdom. The filmmakers avoid full-on preach mode, but we did catch ourselves wandering mentally for a few minutes. Still, no major harm done – soon enough, we’re reeled back with glimpses of that father either rummaging for a classic record or reminding his grown kid how to handle heartbreak.
Is Boman The New Director Extraordinaire?
Don’t get us wrong, we love Boman as an actor – that comedic gravitas (yes, that’s a contradiction) he’s wielded in everything from Munna Bhai to 3 Idiots has rarely steered us wrong. As a director, he’s definitely off to a promising start here. He conjures mini comedic moments without overshadowing the emotional arcs. Yet, we wouldn’t label him a “Director Extraordinaire” just yet – the film’s mid-section has its lumps, and the airport fiasco felt like forced tension. But the final act, with father and son confronting old ghosts, indeed shows glimpses that Boman’s directorial chops are no fluke.
Maybe it’s the fanboy in us, but Avinash Tiwary gets a standing ovation from us — if you haven’t yet, check out his brilliant portrayal of Manjnu in the criminally underrated Laila Majnu. A quiet meltdown or two with watery eyes can sometimes resonate more than all-out hysteria. Good on him for balancing that subtle line.
Final Verdict
Where The Mehta Boys dips in pacing or flirts with over-sentimentality, it makes up for with rawness and realistic father-son banter. Boman Irani and Avinash Tiwary carry their roles as if father and son truly lived in them. The supporting cast – from Shikha Sarup’s sisterly exasperation to Shreya Chaudhry’s “um, are you two okay?” side-eye – complements them well.
We give it a 3.5 out of 5.
Bring tissues, but also be prepared for a few wry smiles along the way. If nothing else, you’ll walk away with fresh empathy for that man who taught you how to ride a bike – or for the grown son who’s quietly trying to step out of the old man’s shadow. Sometimes, it’s that subdued approach to heartbreak that lingers in your memory the most.
