Director Anup Singh recalls last moments of Irrfan Khan: ‘Everybody knew that he would probably not come out…’
However, Anup Singh clarified, “Challenges were immense but not a single one was due to our actors.”
“I remember Irrfan lying on the sand most of the time. I do not remember them being inside their vanity van, except maybe when they had to change or do a bit of touch-up. I don’t remember Shashank in his vanity. Even Waheeda (Rehman) got one chair next to me and she was there on the sand dunes all the time with us, being very much part of the shoot. At one point, I think the kind of collegiality was really immense, no one thought about their comfort. They became comfortable in the desert itself.”
He went on to remember Irrfan’s love for kites on the sets. Irrfan being a kite flyer, told everyone in the unit to fly kites. Anup revealed, “At the shoot, he brought 20 kites with him. Many of our crew members and Irrfan would disappear during the breaks. The only way to find him was to look up in the sky and see where the kites were. We would follow the kites and grab him to come back to the shoot.”
He also recalled how the shoot once came to a halt for some time after cranes started getting suspicious about the gathering of people in the desert. The birds from Mongolia, Siberia each year in winter migrate to the wetlands of Rajasthan. The Song Of Scorpions director shared with a laugh, “There were about 50 cranes and they started circling above us. They were screeching and crying. We tried everything but they would not leave. We tried shouting at them, banging metals. After half an hour, we simply gave up. Suddenly, we saw Irrfan with a kite, climbing a sand dune. When he reached the top, he set the kite flying into the birds. The birds started circling the kite. He started sending the kite further and further away. The kite took the birds with them.”
“I Suppose, In The End, The Whole Life Becomes An Act Of Letting Go.” – Irrfan Khan
Irrfan Khan was one of the best actors India has ever produced. Irrfan, who has won awards like the National Film Award and the Padma Shri, started acting in Mira Nair’s Salaam Bombay! (1988). Through his films, he was able to become a fan favourite of the viewers.
In Indian cinema, his death created a a void that can not be filled. Today, we will take a look back at some of Irrfan’s must-watch films and discuss how you can access them on the third anniversary of his passing. Read on!
1. Life of Pi
In this Ang Lee film, Irrfan played the adult Pi Patel and acted as the tale’s narrator. The main philosophical and spiritual themes of the movie, which was adapted from the same-titled novel by Yann Martel, were conveyed by Irrfan Khan’s soft voice.
Where To Watch: Disney+ Hotstar
2. The Lunchbox
The Lunchbox, one of Irrfan’s most well-liked films, chronicled the friendship between a middle-aged man and a housewife. Irrfan portrayed Saajan Fernandes, who befriends Ila (Nimrat Kaur) with lunchbox letters.
Where To Watch: Netflix
3. Angrezi Medium
He portrayed Champak Bansal, a widower and proprietor of a candy shop who strives valiantly to realise his daughter Tarika’s (Radhika Madan) desire of going to college overseas. Irrfan received a Filmfare Award posthumously for his work.
Where To Watch: Disney+ Hotstar
4. Jurassic Park
Irrfan played Simon Masrani, the proprietor of the altered dinosaur park in Isla Nublar, in this successful reboot of Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park series. The audience was warmed by Irrfan’s presentation, which was filled with his contagious optimism and philosophical insights.
Where To Watch: Amazon Prime Video
5. The Namesake
Irrfan plays Indian immigrant Ashoke in the 2007 movie adaptation of the same-titled book by Jhumpa Lahiri. Tabu plays his wife, and Kal Penn plays Ashoke’s kid. The travels and tribulations of Bengali-born Indo-Americans are the subject of the movie. Irrfan gives a performance that will be remembered.
Where To Watch: Disney+ Hotstar
6. Piku
Despite their different ideologies and arguments over insignificant issues, Piku, an architect, and her ageing but nagative father Bhaskor Banerjee become closer as a result of their road trip to Kolkata. In the main role alongside Deepika Padukone is Irrfan Khan. Amitabh Bachchan plays Piku’s father in the film.
Where To Watch: SonyLiv
We are sure Irrfan Khan and his legacy will live on!