With his first film, The Mehta Boys, Boman Irani—who is well-praised for his adaptable acting—is poised to make a big impression in the realm of directing. The much-awaited movie has been chosen for a worldwide premiere at the 15th Annual Chicago South Asian Film Festival (CSAFF), a renowned gathering honouring South Asian films.

Under the festival’s focus on South Asian narrative, the Mehta Boys—which feature Boman Irani, Avinash Tiwari, and Shreya Chaudhary—will take the stage. Excited and thinking on the long road leading to this historic event, Irani went to Instagram to convey his happiness.

Irani said, “Getting married and having kids was the only thing I accomplished early in life. The rest followed their own lovely pace. The Mehta Boys’ first directorial effort took not just a pleasant, but maybe even a sweeter, length of time. Life is a race, claimed whomever the heck of an old unpleasant man was. It is a crock of nonsense. Here we are now, and when it does happen, it should be amazing rather than simply lovely! Although this movie could have taken years, my heart is racing with delight and expectation. First World Premiere! In Chicago, My family, my cast, my producers, my friends, my first performance on stage, my first movie, my first award, my first autograph, my first… The biggest night since my wedding, the birth of my kids, my first appearance on stage, my first movie, my first award, my first… I could carry on and on. It helps me to realize that I’m grateful it took all this time. If you have read this far, I appreciate your bearing my youthful happiness.

Set for a broader distribution on Amazon Prime Video, The Mehta Boys explores the nuanced bond between a father and son obliged to spend 48 hours together. The movie promises to provide a riveting investigation of family relations with its emotionally charged plot.

Produced by Irani Movietone and Chalkboard Entertainment, the screenplay, co-written by Boman Irani and Oscar-winning writer Alex Dinelaris, follows a notable list of movies already on exhibit at CSAFF: Heroine, Margarita, With A Straw, Dum Laga Ke Haisha, and Masaan.

The choice of The Mehta Boys at this year’s CSAFF represents a turning point in Boman Irani’s remarkable career as he moves from acting to directing with a picture already creating a lot of excitement in the film business.