Maharashtrian Villagers In Igatpuri Pay Tribute To Irrfan Khan By Renaming A Locality After Him
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As one of the most talented actors of his generation, Irrfan Khan had won the hearts of fans not just in India but around the globe. So much so that many of them saw him as an inspiration and a role model. The much-loved actor met his untimely demise on the 29th of April in Mumbai. Fans were left devastated at the news and his family has since shared many fond memories of the time they spent with the actor. Irrfan is survived by his two sons Babil and Ayan Khan as well as his wife, Sutapa Sikdar. Villagers in Igatpuri decided to honor the late actor by informally renaming a locality to him. The actor had made tremendous efforts to improve the lives of these villagers and had helped in the development of that region. Here’s how the beloved actor changed their lives
“Hero-chi-wadi”
The villagers of Igatpuri decided to rename the village to “Hero-chi-wadi” which is a Marathi phrase that roughly translates to “village of the hero”. Irrfan and the villagers first made acquaintance when Irrfan purchased a plot of land there in order to build a weekend home. The actor noticed that the surrounding areas were adivasi settlements and that they had no access to the basic amenities of health and education. A local politician of the constituency once requested the actor to help fund an ambulance for the village and Irrfan readily agreed. After this incident Irrfan took a keen interest in helping redevelop the village. Every year, the actor did his very best to donate sweaters, textbooks and other essentials to young tribal students. The villagers have showcased their love for him and his work in various ways. According to a news report by a leading daily, the children of these little hamlets haven’t missed even one of his films in the last decade. Although they did not have theatres in the nearby localities, they traveled to the next major city, Nashik to watch the films.
The actor was even gracious enough to offer sweets and helped push for a digital India by sponsoring a dozen computers to the village. Irrfan wanted the young children to have access to a digital India and feel digitally empowered. After his cancer diagnosis, the villagers didn’t see much of him and were extremely dismayed to hear the news of his passing. The entire village went into mourning during this time (1).
The Voice Of The People
Amidst the din of celebrity endorsements and taking a diplomatic stance towards important issues, Irrfan was the one of the few to take a stand. Despite suffering from health issues in April, the Namesake actor fasted for an entire day and pledged his support towards migrant workers. Irrfan pledged to help the migrant workers in their fight towards receiving what they rightfully deserved, This included their wages, food and other daily essentials and necessities. The actor had taken to his Twitter handle to inform his followers of the plight that daily wage workers endured during these global health crises. He tagged Gram Seva Sangh and wrote that he would be supporting a “Friday fast” on the 10th of April towards the cause of migrant workers. Irrfan spread waves through his voice and many others including Sacred Games actor, Rajshri Deshpande participated and wrote, “Fasting to dedicate their one day ration to give it to all the needy ones. There is no pressure on anyone to join us in tomorrow’s fasting. The amount of food we have in a day can feed many of them over many days. You can fast to regenerate your immune system too.”
How Irrfan’s Family Has Been Coping
The late actor’s young sons and wife have memorialized him through their statements and posts on social media. Keen internet sleuths discovered Irrfan’s son’s Instagram profile and found many precious memories of the actor and his family. Irrfan’s older son, Babil returned from his semester in the UK due to the sudden COVID-19 outbreak. His wife Sutapa had spoken out about how it was necessary for those coming in from abroad to self quarantine themselves. She urged people to consider the safety of those around them and insisted that her son too was quarantined separately from the family for 14 days as the government had instructed. Babil took to Instagram on mother’s day to dedicate a post to his brave mother. The picture also featured a protective Irrfan during a family trip.
Babil had also shared some incredible throwback pictures from Irrfan’s days in National School of Drama. The pictures showcased rare insights into Irrfan’s early days and gave his fans a glimpse into the man that would later become a legend. While it is extremely tragic to hear of one of our favorite actor’s death, we’re glad he’ll not only live through his films but also through people who were touched by his kindness.
