Bollywood classical actor, Irrfan Khan, who was known for his ‘real acting’ left the world on Wednesday, 29 April.
Not only in Bollywood, but he also marked himself in Hollywood as well. Oscar-winning films like Life of pie, Jurrasic Park, and Slumdog Millionaire were his best known English films.
The spokesperson of Irrfan Khan has confirmed this news to The New York Times. He was diagnosed with rare cancer ( neuroendocrine tumor) in 2018, and since then, he was battling with it.
Last week he was hospitalized for diagnosed with colon infection. In the statement to The Times of India, his family told that he was surrounded by his loved ones, at the time of his last breathe.
Irrfan was a strong soul, someone who fought till the very end and always inspired everyone who came close to him,” the statement read, in part. “We all pray and hope that he is at peace.”
The actor was born as Sahabzade Irrfan Ali Khan, in Rajasthan. He enhanced his acting skills in India’s most respected National School of Drama in New Delhi. He made his acting debut in the film ‘Salaam Bombay’ in 1988, directed by Mira Nair. But he was recognized as an actor in the industry by Asif Kapadia’s drama, The warrior in 2001. And his career took a giant bounce with the masterpieces like Hasil and Maqbool.
Internationally, his fans know him quite well for the film like Slumdog Millionaire(2008), in which he played the role of boy competing in the Indian version of ‘Who wants to be a millionaire’. The film won an Oscar award as well.
He was known to work in critically appreciated movies like The Lunchbox, Pan Singh Tomar, Mulk, Talvar, Madaari, The Namesake, and others.
In 2018, the actor confronted the public quoting the lines of Gone with the wind’s writer Margaret Mitchell “Life is under no obligation to give us what we expect.”
“The unexpected makes us grow, which is what the past few days have been about,” he wrote in a statement. “To those who waited for my words, I hope to be back with more stories to tell.”
He was an original actor and was about to work in his two projects ‘ The wicked path’ and ‘Takadum’. His last movie, Angrezi Medium, in which he played the role of a father, touched everyone’s heart.
The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi was also in deep despair tweeted “ a loss to the world of cinema and theatre. He will be remembered for his versatile performances across different mediums. My thoughts are with his family, friends, and admirers. May his soul rest in peace.”
Condolence to his wife Sutapa Sikdar and his two sons.
~Varsha Verma
