Remembering Irrfan Khan: Iconic Actor Passes Away At 53 After A Prolonged Illness
Niharika has a passion for all things art, music, and travel and has over 4 years of experience in writing for social media. During her spare time, she likes experimenting in the kitchen, playing vide... read full bio
Irrfan Khan had always been the type of man to walk into a room and command everybody’s presence. The actor had always been charming beyond words and mesmerized his audiences with his versatile roles in a career spanning for more than 30 decades. From soul-crushing emotional performances to bone tickling humorous roles, Irrfan had done it all. So to hear the news of his passing from a prolonged struggle with a colon infection was gut-wrenching to fans globally. Irrfan had revealed on Twitter in March 2018 that he was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumor for which he was treated during the past year. The actor had not just graced the screens of Hindi cinema, but he had traveled across the seas to act in British films as well as American. Adored by his fans, survived by his family of three. Here’s something to commemorate the legend that we all grew up on:
A Terrific Debut
The actor who is remembered fondly for his deep eyes and commanding expressions, made his big-screen debut in a cameo appearance for the Mira Nair film, Salaam Bombay! (1988). The film went on to win a nomination for an Academy Award. The actor then appeared in two critically-acclaimed films— Such a Long Journey and Ek Doctor Ki Maut. After an unsuccessful bunch of roles, Irrfan landed up in a film by Asif Kapadia called The Warrior in 2001. The film opened up in foreign film festivals, thus making Irrfan a known face for all. The actor then went on to act in Road To Ladakh and one of his most successful films, Maqbool.
Irrfan went on and carved a niche for himself through villainous roles in films like Hasil, for which he won a Filmfare Award, but his Bollywood lead debut came with the film, Rog in 2005. In the years 2006 and 2007, Irrfan appeared in two critically-acclaimed and award-winning films, The Namesake and Life In A… Metro. His film, The Namesake was an amalgamation of three global film industries.
Critically-acclaimed Roles
The Namesake was created in American, Indian, and Japanese studios. Irrfan Khan played the role of Ashoke Ganguly, the father of the film’s protagonist, Gogol, with whom he shares an emotional and unbreakable bond. A film that is Indian at heart and draped in Indian-American attire, The Namesake deals with the complexities of first-generation Indian immigrants in a white-washed western country. It showcases the class struggles and the various forms of subliminal racism faced by Indian-Americans growing up in a country that is not their identity.
Besides depicting Gogol and his struggle to accept his identity, it showcases the beautiful love story between his parents, Ashoke and Ashima (played by Tabu), and their struggles in an unfamiliar territory. The entire film presents as a glorious ode to Bengali culture and the acceptance of loss and grief. Despite neither Irrfan nor Tabu being Bengali by birth, the characters came easily to them and even the director, Mira Nair believed they were made for the roles.
After his film Life In A…Metro won him praise for his insane chemistry with Konkona Sen Sharma, Irrfan went on to star in the films, A Mighty Heart and The Darjeeling Limited. The actor’s next notable appearance was in the 2007 blockbuster Danny Boyle film, Slumdog Millionaire. Irrfan won a Screen Actors Guild Award for his outstanding performance in the film. Director Danny Boyle declared Irrfan as an athlete who could execute the same move perfectly over and over. His film Paan Singh Tomar featured him playing the eponymous character in the film, which was based on a real-life athlete who turned into a dacoit. In the year 2010, the actor began playing the role of Sunil on the third season of an HBO show called In Treatment.
2012 and 2013 were magical years for the actor after he landed the roles of Dr. Kajit Ratha in the first installment of The Amazing Spiderman and the role of adult Piscine “Pi” Molitor Patel in the film adaptation of Life Of Pi. Life of Pi received critical acclaim and commercial success for its beautiful acting and screenplay. Many fans are enamored by his emotional performance during a scene in the film. You could tell in the genuine way in which he expressed his character’s anguish that he felt like he lost a friend. Irrfan also went on to act in a beautiful film called The Lunchbox where he played one a widowed office goer who is looking to retire when a sheer twist of faith leads him to regain his zest for life. The film claimed the Grand Rail d’Or Award at Cannes Film Festival. After making an appearance in the critically-acclaimed film Haider, the star went on to land the role of Rana Chaudhary in the film Piku opposite Deepika Padukone.
In 2015, Irrfan appeared in the box-office hit, Jurassic World and the critically-acclaimed Hindi thriller film, Talvar. The film was based on the real-life murder of teenager Aarushi Talwar and her family’s servant. In 2017, Irrfan appeared in the films Hindi Medium and Qarib Qarib Singlle. The actor later appeared in the film, Blackmail in 2018 opposite Kirti Kulhari’s character. Irrfan’s last film appearance was in Angrezi Medium in 2020.
Beloved By All
Irrfan Khan was a man dearly loved by all. The prolific actor had dipped his feet into everything from theatre and film to internet comedy. The actor even starred in an internet short by AIB called ‘‘Dank Irrfan’’, proving he was quite the sport. Many people took to the internet to share their heartfelt condolences at the loss of one of the most tremendous actors of our generation.
The actor had once shared this gut-wrenching note when he was undergoing treatment for a neuroendocrine tumor. Popular cricket expert Harsha Bhogle shared an excerpt from a note Irrfan had written on Instagram. Many celebrities too expressed their immense sadness over the demise of this powerhouse of an actor
We are extremely saddened to know the passing of one of the most iconic actors in recent times. In an industry fueled by Nepotism, Irrfan truly proved that even a young boy from the desserts of Rajasthan can make it big with pure talent. Our condolences go out to Irrfan’s wife, Sutapa Sikdar, and his two sons, Babil and Ayan Khan. Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
