Remembering Irrfan Khan (1967-2020)

It was a gloomy day for the cinema world on Wednesday April 29, 2020. Indian actor, Irrfan Khan, passed away at the age of 53. According to Times of India, the famous actor was admitted to a hospital in Mumbai due to a colon infection. Khan has been battling cancer since 2018.

Mr. Irrfan Khan was known for his wide eyes and soothing voice. At the tender age of 20, he was studying at the National School of Drama in New Delhi where he made his film debut in Bollywood film Salaam Bombay! in 1988. Although his role was just something small, this was the beginning of a long and beautiful career as reported by Vanity Fair.

 

Every year after that, Khan appeared in a multitude of Bollywood films like Kamla Ki Maut and even award-winning film Ek Doctor Ki Maut. He also appeared in small-scale Hindi television shows such as Shrikant and Kahkashan. It wasn’t until the 2001 film The Warrior by Asif Kapadia that skyrocketed Khan’s career. After the film received a BAFTA Award for Best British Film, Khan was open to the opportunity of starring in Western movies as stated by The Times of India.

From there, Khan took Hollywood by a storm. He went on to star in his most notable movie, Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire where he played a main role of the detective in charge of holding protagonist Jamal Malik in questioning. The film went on to win an Academy Award for Best Picture in 2009. Other prominent movies under his belt include The Amazing Spider-Man and Life of Pi. In 2013, he played Saajan Fernandes in The Lunchbox which was said to be India’s official entry to the Oscars that same year.

Khan continued to act in several films afterwards like Jurassic World, capturing the hearts of many and gaining more popularity. His last film was Angrezi Medium which was released in theaters in India on March 13, 2020. Due to the corona virus pandemic, the film can be streamed on Disney+ Hotstar.

Khan is survived by his wife Sutapa and his two sons Babil and Ayan. Fellow actors and actresses have expressed their condolences via Instagram such as Frieda Pinto, Bryce Dallas Howard, Priyanka Chopra, Amitabh Bachchan, and many more.

With a career spanning over 30 years, dozens of movies, and with fans not only from India but all over the globe, Khan’s memory will remain with us all.

***Note from the author: I first saw Slumdog Millionaire when I was just a 7th grader and it changed my life since then. I could listen to Irrfan’s voice forever and I will miss the way his eyes could tell an entire story with just one look. Thank you Irrfan Khan for sharing your immense talent with the world! I will miss you.

Sources: Vanity Fair and Times of India