Avinash Tiwary on being part of unconventional stories: Gives you a great joy as an artist

Mumbai, Feb 8 (PTI) Actor Avinash Tiwary says he finds joy in being part of projects that deal with topics or stories that aren’t normally shown in mainstream cinema.

The 39-year-old actor has carved a niche for himself with his work in films and web series such as “Laila Majnu”, “Bulbbul”, “Madgaon Express”, “Sikandar Ka Muqaddar”, “Khakee: The Bihar Chapter, “Bambai Meri Jaan” and “Kaala”.

“It’s a great time for me as an actor… to be able to be part of films which speak of things that are not normally spoken or heard, gives you a great amount of joy as an artist,” Tiwary told PTI in an interview.

At the same time, Tiwary said he feels grateful for the ability to entertain audiences while achieving box office success.

“Box office (success) is important, it brings in trade and creates great joy and escape for the audience.. I’ve been blessed with decent success, in theatricals in the form of ‘Madgaon Express’ and ‘Laila Majnu’ re-release, and on OTT with shows and films that I’ve been part of,” he said.

“I hope the commercial box office keeps going on. It makes the money so that we can create this form of cinema. I’ve got the viability to be able to do both, and that’s something as an artist I feel fulfilled with, it will make me feel more wholesome, so that’s the intent and desire.”

Tiwary’s latest film “The Mehta Boys” by actor-turned-filmmaker Boman Irani fulfils his creative desires.

The movie, which started streaming on Prime Video from Friday, delves into the emotional landscape of family dynamics, particularly the intricate father-son relationship.

The actor – who plays the role of Irani’s son — said he was “surprised” when he got to know that the “Munna Bhai MBBS” star is making his directorial debut with “The Mehta Boys”.

“It was surprising and I also came to know that he had written it, I didn’t know about Spiral Bound (Irani’s writing workshop) then. It’s a beautiful script, and when it came to me, I was in a space where I wanted to do something different.

“When I read it, I felt that as an artist, there was no way I could let go of this. The moment we started reading a scene, I saw a director coming out jumping. It was so organic, impulsive, and instinctive, it’s very rare,” Tiwary said.

Written by Irani along with Academy Award-winning writer Alexander Dinelaris of “Birdman” fame, “The Mehta Boys” tells the story of a strained father-son relationship as they are forced to spend 48 hours together, leading to a tumultuous yet transformative journey.

As Tiwary explored the character of Amay, a young man trying to create a mark for himself as a budding architect, the actor found himself reflecting on his own relationship with his father.

“Not just my relationship with my father but a lot of other relationships because I started seeing that it’s a human story being told through this father-son relationship. It’s about communication, expectations in a relationship, egos, and pride. It made me think about my relationship with my father, which is beautiful in its way, with its flaws and pros.”

“The Mehta Boys” is produced by Irani, Danesh Irani, Vikesh Bhutani, and Shujaat Saudagar under the banner of Irani Movietone LLP in association with Chalkboard Entertainment LLP.