Boman Irani recently hosted a special evening to celebrate the growing success of Spiral Bound, a platform founded by him to nurture writers and encourage storytelling. The initiative has steadily evolved into a creative community that focuses on self-expression, confidence-building, and connecting people through stories.

Boman Irani gets emotional at Spiral Bound event: “My mum used to send me to watch films at 11”

During the event, Boman Irani shared personal anecdotes from his childhood, reflecting on how his journey with storytelling began at a young age. He credited his mother for shaping his early exposure to cinema, despite the challenges she faced. “I knew everything that an 11-year-old kid should not know about movies. My mother was a shopkeeper, a widow, and she would sit in the dukaan, working tirelessly… and still, she made sure I was watching films.”

He further spoke about how his mother connected him to his late father’s memory through films, introducing him to classics and encouraging his curiosity. “She would tell me stories about my father’s favourite films — ‘This was your dad’s favourite movie… this was Rear Window … go and watch it, it’s all from one perspective.’ I don’t know how she knew all this, but she did.”

Recounting a vivid memory from his childhood, the actor described his experiences around cinema halls in Mumbai. “There was a novelty cinema in Grant Road… we watched some great films there. I would even put my ear to the wall of our dukaan, which was connected to the theatre, just to listen to what was playing. At 11, I took a 70-year-old man to watch El Cid. While the film was going on, I sat beside him and kept telling him everything happening on screen… every scene, every moment. Because Farood uncle was blind.”

According to Boman, that moment played a significant role in shaping his outlook towards storytelling and communication. “My mother thought it was right for an 11-year-old kid to take a blind man to watch a film. That day, she empowered me. I realised this shy kid is not going to be shy anymore. Someday, he’s going to tell stories.”

The evening highlighted the core vision behind Spiral Bound, which aims to create a space where stories are not only written but also experienced and shared. Through this initiative, Boman Irani continues to encourage aspiring writers to find their voice and engage with storytelling in a meaningful way.

Also Read: “Majha mulga aahe hi”: Boman Irani lauds Riteish Deshmukh’s vision at Raja Shivaji trailer launch; calls it “spectacle”

Tags : Bollywood, Boman Irani, Childhood, Down Memory Lane, Down The Memory Lane, Features, Flashback, Nostalgia, Spiral Bound, Spiral Bound Event, Throwback