It was in 2012 when renowned actor Irrfan Khan was awarded the National Film Award for Best Actor for Paan Singh Tomar. He essayed the titular role in the biographical film, which was directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia. Now, saying that Irrfan deserved all the recognition for the role seems like an understatement. After all, he did set the course of his career right from the start.
He debuted in the industry with Academy Award-nominated film Salaam Bombay! by Mira Nair. He then starred in commercially viable dramas like Life In A Metro, BAFTA-nominated The Lunchbox, and other critically acclaimed films like Piku, Haider, and Hindi Medium.
Irrfan changed the course of Bollywood with his average looks, his acting talent, and his expressive eyes. He was not the actor with the biggest build and the widest smile and he could not woo the heroine with his dance skills either. He was not the angry young man or the most eligible bachelor in town. He was one of us and that's what made him special.
Today, on his birth anniversary, we look at some of his most iconic roles:
The Lunchbox
A heartwarming love story of Saajan, a lonely employee, and Ila Singh, a dejected housewife.
Li Of Pi
Irrfan played the adult version of Pi Patel in the Ang Lee directorial.
Life In A Metro
In this Anurag Basu's film, Irrfan essayed the simpleton, Monty, balancing his life in a big city.
Angrezi Medium
Irrfan played the role of Champak Bansal, a father struggling to make her daughter's dream of studying abroad come true.
Paan Singh Tomar
In and as Paan Singh Tomar, the film marked one of Irrfan's most iconic performances.
Irrfan Khan passed away on April 28, 2020, after receiving treatment for a colorectal infection. He was diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer in 2018 for which he sought treatment in London for a year and a half. The news of his death sent shockwaves across the industry and even Hollywood film personalities mourned the loss.