Irrfan Khan passed away today at a hospital in Mumbai, where he was admitted for colon infection. The 53-year-old actor had been battling cancer since 2018 and his official spokesperson had confirmed on Tuesday that he was under doctor’s observation. Irrfan is survived by his wife Sutapa and sons – Babil and Ayan. Filmmaker Shoojit Sircar penned a condolence note remembering the actor.
His family issued an official statement, “i trust, i have surrendered”; These were the some of the many words that Irrfan expressed in a heart felt note he wrote in 2018 opening up about his fight with cancer. And a man of few words and an actor of silent expressions with his deep eyes and his memorable actions on screen. It’s saddening that this day, we have to bring forward the news of him passing away.
Irrfan was a strong soul, someone who fought till the very end and always inspired everyone who came close to him. After having been struck by lightning in 2018 with the news of a rare cancer, he took life soon after as it came and he fought the many battles that came with it. Surrounded by his love, his family for whom he most cared about, he left for heaven abode, leaving behind truly a legacy of his own. We all pray and hope that he is at peace. And to resonate and part with his words he had said, “As if I was tasting life for the first time, the magical side of it”.
Irrfan Khan’s last film was ‘Angrezi Medium’, which hit the screens days before the lockdown was announced. His innocent portrayal of a father willing to go against all odds for his daughter was much lauded by fans. Due to the lockdown, ‘Angrezi Medium’ stopped playing in theatres and was later released on an OTT platform.
Best known for his performance in films like ‘Maqbool’ and ‘Piku’, the actor earned a National Award for his powerful act in sports drama ‘Paan Singh Tomar’. Irrfan was also globally recognised for his performance in films like ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, ‘Inferno’ and ‘Life of Pi’.