A lot of us crush ourselves under this pressure that we NEED to have our career sorted by the time we enter our 30s. 20 pe graduation, 25 tak achhi job, 30 pe sexy promotion. But not always does life abide by this time table we try to impose on it.

In a Humans of Bombay postBoman Irani opens up about his life’s journey and how he found his passion at the age of 35.

The 59-year-old shares how he lost his dad before he was even born. After this, his mom had to take over the wafer shop that his dad ran. He saw his mother fight alone, for years. 

During school, he also suffered from learning and speech disabilities, because of which his confidence took a hit-

I remember, I had started singing to better my speech. And once at a performance, mom recorded the applause I got. It was so loud! I kept hearing it, it got my confidence back.

After college, he worked as a room service attendant and then as a waiter at the Taj hotel, to support his family. After his mother met with an accident, he had to quit his job and work at the shop. And just like that, 14 years went by.

During this phase, he got married and had kids, but he felt as though something was missing. His wife encouraged him to explore. He got into photography. That was until his friend got him an audition for an ad-

I decided to pursue it & in a few years I did over 180 ads & even some popular plays. I was also offered a short film. It had a low budget & was going to be shot on a handy cam, but for me it was a golden opportunity. 
India TV news

Vidhu Vinod Chopra, after seeing a clip of the film, offered him 2 lakhs to be in his next film.

That’s when Munnabhai MBBS happened & at 35, my dream career began. It was unexpected – but I grabbed the opportunity & didn’t let go. It’s been an amazing journey, one that did put me through some turbulence. But through all the good, the bad & the ugly, I learned to keep my hopes up & more than anything, know that it’s never too late to start over.

Read the entire post here-

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“I lost my dad before I was born. He ran a wafer shop & after him my mom took over. My sisters had school, so my mom had to leave me at the fire temple with the priest’s wife, while she ran shop. I watched her fighting alone, for years. Soon I started school, but I had speech & learning disabilities. I remember, I had started singing to better my speech. And once at a performance, mom recorded the applause I got. It was so loud! I kept hearing it, it got my confidence back! I studied science after school, but I’d still take part in theatre & other arts. After college got over, I had to start contributing to the family. So I met the manager of a Taj hotel & asked for work at the rooftop restaurant. He said, ‘To reach the top, you have to start from the bottom.’ So he sent me to work in room service. Only after a year & a half did I become a waiter at that restaurant! Soon after, my mom met with an accident, so I quit my job & sat at the shop. And before I knew it, 14 years went by — during that time I met my wife, got married & even had kids. But throughout, something was amiss. So my wife encouraged me to explore. I loved photography & my dad was a photographer too. So I tried that & after some struggle, I started doing well. At the time, a friend got me to audition for an ad. I did & I got selected! So I decided to pursue it & in a few years I did over 180 ads & even some popular plays. I was also offered a short film. It had a low budget & was going to be shot on a handycam, but for me it was a golden opportunity! My life changed completely, when Vidhu Vinod Chopra saw a clip of the film. He got in touch & asked to meet me. When we met, he gave me a cheque of 2 lakhs to be in his next film. He didn’t even have a film yet, but he didn’t want me to become famous & not give him dates. That’s when Munnabhai MBBS happened & at 35, my dream career began. It was unexpected – but I grabbed the opportunity & didn’t let go. It’s been an amazing journey, one that did put me through some turbulence. But through all the good, the bad & the ugly, I learned to keep my hopes up & more than anything, know that it’s never too late to start over!”

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