This is one of best Irrfan Khan’s quotable quotes – we don’t have a culture of realistic acting in India. Our films still are influenced by Parsi theater. Parsi theater was known for melodrama. It’s all about emotions. Image source: Variety / Quote source: NPR
How right he was when it comes to Indian cinema!
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Let me tell you upfront – I am not a big fan of Bollywood. In fact I hardy watch Hindi movies unless it has gone viral and gotten rather rave reviews. The problem is not the movies itself but rather it is the language – I don’t understand Hindi and whatever Hindi movies I had watched in the past has been with English or Bahasa Malaysia subtitles. Due to language and not quality, I have been more of a Kollywood fan.
However there are some Bollywood movies that I know that worth the watch especially is acted by certain actors or actress and Irrfan Khan’s movies is one of those movies (the other is Amir Khan of course).
Who can forget All India Bakchod’s 2015 parody – Every Bollywood Party Song featuring Irrfan which garnered more than 13 million views todate? Only Irrfan Khan would have been braved enough to act in the parody and yet kept his cool or rather what they call at Cannes? Swag?
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Unfortunately he was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumour which he revealed to the world back in March 2018. It left him “shocked, afraid and in panic” as revealed in an interview:-
For the first time, I felt what ‘freedom’ truly means. It felt like an accomplishment. As if I was tasting life for the first time, the magical side of it. My confidence in the intelligence of the cosmos became absolute. I feel as if it has entered every cell of mine.
Time will tell if it stays, but that is how I feel as of now.
Throughout my journey, people have been wishing me well, praying for me, from all over the world. People I know, people I don’t even know.
They were praying from different places, different time zones, and I feel all their prayers become ONE.
One big force, like a force of current, which got inside me through the end of my spine and has germinated through the crown of my head
(Source)
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Leaving his Hollywood movies like the famed Slumdog Millionaire, Life of Pi and Jurassic World aside, one of his best movie that I have watched is his 2013 movie titled “The Lunchbox” which also had another brilliant actor, Nawazuddin Siddiqui. He was so natural acting as Saajan Fernandes, a widower who is about to retire from his job as an accountant.
So, it was a sad day indeed when the news of his death was announced:-
Irrfan Khan, one of Bollywood’s most beloved stars who had achieved considerable success in the west, has died aged 53.
He had been admitted to the intensive care unit of Mumbai’s Kokilaben hospital on Tuesday with a colon infection and on Wednesday morning a statement was released confirming his death.
“It’s saddening that this day, we have to bring forward the news of him passing away,” read the statement. “Irrfan was a strong soul, someone who fought till the very end and always inspired everyone who came close to him.”
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi said that Khan’s demise was “a loss to the world of cinema and theatre. He will be remembered for his versatile performances across different mediums. My thoughts are with his family, friends and admirers. May his soul rest in peace.”
Fellow Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan said Khan’s death left a “huge vacuum”. “An incredible talent, a gracious colleague, a prolific contributor to the world of cinema … left us too soon,” tweeted Bachchan.
(Source)
It is indeed a big loss for the Indian cinema and movie fans all over the world.
RIP Sir…