 |
| Irrfan Khan in Paan Singh Tomar (2012) |
This article, when first published last year, was titled “Get well soon, Irrfan Khan!”
I had to change the blog title today.
Irrfan Khan (1967-2020) is no more.
He passed away today in Mumbai after been admitted for a Colon infection.
Khan is survived by his wife Sutapa and two sons – Ayan and Babil.
Khan was a rare one, a gem, a treasure, lighting up our lives with his impeccable craft.
My list of the best Irrfan Khan movies:
The best Irrfan Khan movies: Part I
The best Irrfan Khan movies: Part II
Irrfan Khan, a short biography
Irrfan Khan had an unusual upbringing, his father owned land, but was never interested in financially benefitting from it. The father was into the Tyre business. Irrfan’s father, instead, was obsessed with hunting.
Often, young Irrfan used to accompany his father on these hunting trips. Speaking about these jungle expeditions, years later, in an interview to noted actor Anupam Kher, Irrfan spoke about these trips in length.
Young Irrfan, while excited on experiencing firsthand, the drive through the jungle, was also traumatized by the killing that followed. Even at a young age, Irrfan took to not eating non-vegetarian food.
Irrfan lost his father even as he had just started pursuing drama as a career. Suddenly, Irrfan, all of 19 years, and the eldest son, had to look after the family.
Irrfan getting into the iconic National School of Drama (NSD) was a gamechanger. The great actor admitted that he fudged his experience doing drama to get through. But he also admitted that there was in him a sincerity of picking up things and learning, that probably got him admitted to NSD on his first attempt.
Irrfan Khan was clear from the start that he would do movies, and not pursue theatre. Irrfan’s early inspiration was the great actor, Dilip Kumar. The early works of Naseeruddin Shah got Irrfan motivated, and though his journey to recognition was long, Irrfan Khan kept at it, and the rest is history.
The actor and his art
A couple of years ago, the actor was scaling another arc in his astonishing career. His performances had attained a free-flowing command and absolute mastery.
Investing in the story was a joy when Irrfan was on the screen. He made a mark in the Indian box office too, with increasing regularity in 2017 and 2018, with his films consistently registering as genuine hits.
Here’s chronicling the actor extraordinaire in his final Hindi movie releases:
Blackmail (2018): Director Abhinay Deo struggles to surpass the impact of the riotous and deliciously ribald Delhi Belly and ends up way short.
The concept is mad, but the situations and characters are overplayed. The ever-efficient Irrfan along with Arunoday Singh and Divya Dutta provide the best moments.
Hindi Medium (2017): Irrfan lifts this decent, inconsistent take on commercialization of education with crackling humour and immaculate timing.
From the saree shop owner to dedicated Delhi-based husband and parent, Irrfan doesn’t miss a beat. He is ably supported by Saba Qamar and an excellent Deepak Dobriyal.
Karwaan (2018): A contrived road movie with stereotypical characters (rebellious family-defying teenager, repressed working man with father issues) that lights up each time Irrfan appears on the screen as the wisecracking, bumbling friend and garage owner.
If I got through Karwaan‘s largely unconvincing proceedings, the sole reason is Irrfan Khan.
Qarib Qarib Singlle (2017): Marking Tanuja Chandra’s return to the director’s chair, this sometimes shallow, sometimes fluid romcom has Malayalam actress Parvathy playing a middle-aged single woman looking for a date.
The little touch about the double “ll” in “singlle” is one of the film’s rare deft touches. The sparkling Parvathy-Irrfan interplay is probably the only reason this sketchily written movie works.