Before he left us, Irrfan shared an emotional message in his empathetic and heartfelt voice ahead of his final film, Angrezi Mediums’ release.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Irrfan (@irrfan)He said, “Hello, brothers and sisters… This is me, Irrfan.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Irrfan (@irrfan)Irrfan was known for his unusual ways and off-beat ideas about life and philosophies.
Despite his undeniable talent, Irrfan humbly credited much of his success to his wife and best friend, Sutapa Sikdar.
Later I saw actors who were natural and realistic, but they were boring, so being natural or realistic is not the key in itself.”
It has been four years since his passing, yet it remains challenging to speak about Irrfan Khan in the past tense. His untimely death left an indelible void not only in the world of cinema but also in the hearts of fans across the globe. His exceptional talent, humble demeanour, and relatable persona made his loss feel deeply personal as if it were that of a close friend or family member. Before he left us, Irrfan shared an emotional message in his empathetic and heartfelt voice ahead of his final film, Angrezi Mediums’ release.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Irrfan (@irrfan)
He said, “Hello, brothers and sisters… This is me, Irrfan. Today I’m with you, but also not with you. There is a saying… ‘When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade out of it.’ It sounds good. But when life actually puts a lemon in your hands, it becomes really tough to make lemonade.” Although Irrfan left us on April 19, his words continue to inspire us to love, live, and laugh “by staying positive in difficult situations.” His remarkable body of work remains, allowing us to both laugh and cry in his memory.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Irrfan (@irrfan)
Irrfan was known for his unusual ways and off-beat ideas about life and philosophies. He stood out from the crowd for his simplicity and not fearing to embrace the uncertainty. During an interview on The Indian Express’ Expresso session, he said he hates to take himself seriously and isn’t among those who give in to vanity. There are no photographs of himself on the walls of his home. “Life is too transitory to keep your photograph at home or to freeze some and depend on that. I find it very limiting. I would rather connect to the transitory nature of life and be okay with it. Society conditions you and gives you value systems that won’t work for you,” he added.
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Speaking of the uncertainty that life throws at you and why he embraced it, he said that it helped him be at ease with himself. “The most beautiful thing is to live with uncertainty. I am easier with myself when I have connected with this uncertainty”. It is not me who decided to come to my mother’s womb or to control craft or the way my cells work. What is this phenomenon? I hate to take myself seriously. You won’t be there 30-40 years down the line. I may not be there in the next five years. Let things come. If there is a God let Him come. I will seek him. I am not in a hurry,” he shared
Throughout his illustrious yet short-lived career, Irrfan seamlessly transformed into vastly different characters, such as Paan Singh Tomar and Piku’s Rana. Despite his undeniable talent, Irrfan humbly credited much of his success to his wife and best friend, Sutapa Sikdar. He revealed that it was Sutapa who influenced his decision to take on a rom-com role like Qarib Qarib Singlle opposite Parvathy.
He shared, “We both have strong opinions and she, being Bengali, has even stronger convictions. During her diploma production, when she was the writer and I was acting, we used to have a lot of differences. We were fighting but designing the sets together.” Irrfan and Sutapa’s relationship extended beyond that of husband and wife; they remained the best of friends until his last breath.
While renowned for his natural acting prowess in films such as Maqbool, Piku, Hindi Medium, and others, Irrfan remained humble and curious about the roots of his talent. When asked if he was a born actor or developed his craft over time, he replied, “This is a question that has been with me for a very, very long time. I’ve asked a lot of people, my teachers, and practically everybody, but I’ve never got the answer.”
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Irrfan’s genuine connection to his characters, dedication to the craft, and ability to forge a profound relationship with his audience have ensured his legacy lives on, and he remains forever missed. At the beginning of his career, Irrfan found inspiration in “realistic” performances, stating, “I thought being natural was enough, and that’s the goal I have to reach. Later I saw actors who were natural and realistic, but they were boring, so being natural or realistic is not the key in itself.”
