The news of Irrfan Khan dismisal came as a huge blow to many as we lost a legendary and versatile actor last year. This piece of information triggered a lot of sorrow and grief in many people who were touched by his stories.
He served as a valuable bridge between South Asian and Hollywood films. His roles and characters were always a shade of neon in a colored feature film.
His career spanned over 30 years and few actors could’ve mastered both genres – Hollywood and Bollywood – as well as he did. On his birthday anniversary here’s a look into how he contributed to Indian Cinema in a unique way:
Piku (2015)
Taking on the role of Rana, Khan provided just the right contrast to Deepika Padukone in the slice-of-life film.
Often times in his career he played the role of good guys and bad guys, but we got a rare look at his portrayal of romance in this film.
Shoojit Sircar’s film gave him a chance to try out romance and comedy, both being elements that he had wanted to try at that point in time.
The Lunchbox (2013)
This ‘Old Hollywood’ style directorial debut of Ritesh Batra brought a sense of calm and chaos simultaneously. Irrfan Khan plays the role of a widowed office worker nearing retirement.
To truly cultivate the love for a never-seen-before woman, Irrfan Khan didn’t meet his co-star much during the course of shooting.
His character’s ultimate failure in the film was both realistic and saddening.
Hindi Medium (2017)
Winning awards like “Best Film” and “Best Actor” for Khan, this movie was one of the highest-grossing Indian films of all time.
In light of the recent news, director Saket Chaudary says, ““Irrfan was a master of his craft, he made acting seem effortless. He’s gone too soon.”
He was truly unbeatable at being versatile as he brought humor to the film in such a way that the viewers are in splits about the absurdity of reality.
Angrezi Medium (2020)
Angrezi Medium is the sequel to Hindi Medium and although it’s theatrical release was affected due to COVID-19, it’s OTT release came in March 2020 on Disney+ Hostar.
This way, people were still able to witness Khan’s last acting performance.
In this film, Irrfan Khan had the ability to make you feel as if his emotions were your own. He brought life to even the most lazily-written scene through his nifty acting skills.
Maqbool (2003)
This adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth is definitely noteworthy in Irrfan Khan’s career as critics fell head over heels for the Indian crime drama.
Khan’s ‘Maqbool’ speaks well with eyes alone. He assumed the role of the righthand guy with ease, and portrays a remarkable intensity that comes dangerously close to being considered ‘over-the-top’.
Paan Singh Tomar (2012)
The Indian biographical film won the ‘Best Feature Film’ in the 60th National Film Awards. Khan also won ‘Best Actor’ for his performance as the athlete-turned-dacoit of the same name as the film.
The late actor said that he felt intrigued when he first heard the story narration from Tigmanshu Dhulia. “I felt a connect with the character and so could not let go of the project”, he added.
This is definitely seen in the film as well as his acting and voice modulation was top-notch.