“If a role is not challenging, it’s no fun, so I believe in making it challenging,” says Boman Irani, who has always stood out in the variety of roles he has played over the years.

In the past few years though, the senior actor has slowed down. This, he admits, was a conscious decision because he wanted to spend more time with his grandchildren.

Boman says, “I used to work 365 days a year and was part of several interesting films. But when my grandchildren were born, I realised that I needed to pull my leg off the accelerator and focus on them. I decided to do fewer films and be around my grandkids. Children grow up so quickly and had I continued shooting at my earlier pace, I would have lost the opportunity to be around them. So, I decided to go a little slow.”

Boman says, “Now, however, I am back in action in Runway 34 with Ajay Devgn and Amitabh Bachchan. I have two-three more films lined up this year.”

The film, which has been directed and produced by Ajay Devgn, and also has him playing one of the lead parts, is a drama-mystery based on a real-life incident in the aviation industry.

Sharing his experience of working with the actor filmmaker, Boman says, “It is very pleasant to watch an actor grow to become a skilled director. Ajay is a superb director and very technically sound. He knows the best camera angles and has shot the film beautifully. It was a delight to see him act and direct the film. It is an interesting subject and my role was challenging. I enjoy roles that are demanding and give me the satisfaction of a job well done.”

While he doesn’t share a lot of scenes in Runway 34 with Bachchan Sr, Irani says that it was a delight to observe the legendary actor on the sets. He says, “I’ve done five films with Amitabh Bachchan over the years and it has always been an enriching experience. There are a few courtroom scenes in the film where I am seated in the audience and watch him in action. He is a powerhouse performer and you realise this not only when he performs, but also when he is prepping for his scenes. The way he starts working on his dialogues and scenes and then goes on to shoot them is such a great learning experience.”

Recent years have witnessed a number of films emerging as pan-India hits and the rise of alternate platforms has only widened the opportunities for actors and filmmakers, he says. Talking about the digital medium, he shares, “If there is interesting work happening in the OTT space then that has happened because many makers from films have moved to other platforms and made interesting films or shows. I don’t think there is any competition between theatres and digital platforms or that filmmakers need to up their game. In fact, I feel OTT has resulted in more opportunities and redefined viewership patterns. Films and other mediums will thrive together because the same actors and makers are exploring different platforms.”

The actor, who is also a passionate photographer, plans to direct a film soon. He says, “I have been working on my script for the last one year. It is almost ready and if things fall into place, I will start my directorial venture soon.”