India, Feb. 18 -- Actor Boman Irani urged aspiring actors and filmmakers to pursue their passion rather than fame, emphasising that success is a byproduct of dedication and hard work. Speaking at the Vijay Tendulkar Memorial Lecture on Acting at the 23rd Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) on Sunday, he said, "If you want to become an excellent actor, you must have a dream and work hard to make it a reality. But don't chase fame-chase what you love. Fame will come automatically."

Drawing from his own career, Irani spoke about the perseverance required in the industry, sharing that it took him 12 years to direct his first film despite being a part of the industry. He stressed the importance of strong writing in cinema. "Every director...