“I suppose in the end, the whole of life becomes an act of letting go, but what always hurts the most is not taking a moment to say goodbye.” – Yann Martel, Life of Pi. An image of Irrfan Khan’s cool demeanour with that breathtaking smile remains etched in our memories, forever.
Diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer in 2018, Irrfan Khan battled through the rare disease. On April 28, 2020, he was admitted to Kokilaben Hospital’s ICU in Mumbai. As fate would have it, on April 29, 2020, the man breathed his last. Today, Bollywood has lost its gem. Today, Bollywood suffers a colossal loss. No actor other than Irrfan Khan could portray the versatility on screen as he did. Who else but Khan could be Paan Singh Tomar but also a doting dad in Hindi Medium?
The news comes in hard and unbearable to cinephiles and admirers alike. Right at the peak of his career, Irrfan’s last movie was Angrezi Medium. He re-defined Bollywood cinema, his talent was unparallel. Even though a majority of his fans have never met him or even interacted with him, the pain is personal. You can take away the artist but his art shall thrive, always.
From Namesake to Piku, Khan’s legacy carved a niche of cinema that touched your heart. Not for a moment do we think of him as a star, the relatability with his characters is unparallel. Humour flows and flourishes out of you when you see that man on the screen. He had prescribed a name for himself in Hollywood too, from Inferno to Jurassic World, despite his minute roles, he shone, bright.
I remain too shaken to express my grief into words. My family is not one to joyfully watch movies and spend time together. However, Piku and Hindi Medium ensured that we book tickets for the first day, first show. An actor who had an influence on people of all ages, his simplicity and perfection defined him. The world cries because there is no Irrfan part two.
From Salaam Bombay! to Angrezi Medium, it has been a journey, a journey of laughter, grief, sorrow, happiness and a never-ending ride of art and talent. Thank you Irrfan Khan, for gracing us with your charm, for making us fall in love with you in Life In A Metroto making us laugh in Karwaan. Cinema shall never be able to mourn your loss.
“Darya bhi main, darakht bhi main … Jhelum bhi main, chinar bhi main … dair bhi hoon, haram bhi hoon … Shia bhi hoon, Sunni bhi hoon, main hoon Pandit … main tha, main hoon aur main hi rahoonga”
Who cares about the three Khans? We lost the best one already.