- Noted actor Irrfan Khan breathed his last on Wednesday in Mumbai.
- He was suffering from a rare cancer.
- Amongst his prized movies is Paan Singh Tomar, a defining flick for the Indian Sports.
Noted actor Irrfan Khan breathed his last on Wednesday in Mumbai, after a prolonged battle with rare cancer since it was diagnosed in 2018. He was 54. Khan was not only amongst the most sought-after actors in the Hindi film industry, but he also had the rare distinction of making a name for himself in Hollywood.
His passing away was met with shock and disbelief by Indian sports fraternity, including Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Chhetri.
Saddened to hear about the passing of Irrfan Khan. What a phenomenal talent and dearly touched everyone's heart with his versatility. May god give peace to his soul ?
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) April 29, 2020
Khan sahab, you were brilliant at what you did and that will always live on. Thank you for bringing your art to us the way you did. Strength to those grieving.
— Sunil Chhetri (@chetrisunil11) April 29, 2020
One of the most outstanding movies of his illustrious career has to the 2012-flick Paan Singh Tomar. Khan’s portrayal of the title character made athlete-turned-bandit Tomar a household name 31 years after he was shot dead in an encounter by the police.
Rest in peace #IrfanKhan, fabulous actor. Created is own aura and fortune around the industry. May god give his family all the strength.
— Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) April 29, 2020
Irrfan is credited to bringing to life a man who was just another footnote in Indian sports until then.
Sad to hear the news of #IrrfanKhan passing away. He was one of my favorites & I’ve watched almost all his films, the last one being Angrezi Medium. Acting came so effortlessly to him, he was just terrific.
May his soul Rest In Peace. ??
Condolences to his loved ones. ☹️ pic.twitter.com/gaLHCTSbUh— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) April 29, 2020
Unsurprisingly, the performance went on to fetch Irrfan a national award and critical acclaim for the sheer ease with which he managed to essay the role of a “beehad ka baaghi.”
R.I.P @irrfank Ji. Always enjoyed your amazing work and your mind-blowing skills as an actor and artist. Sincere condolences and prayers for the family. ? pic.twitter.com/dh6QdDs9nh
— Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) April 29, 2020
Tomar was a 7-time national champion in steeplechase. He even represented the country at the 1958 Tokyo Asian Games. However, after retiring in 1977, a family land dispute led him to pick up the gun in his native village Bhidosa in the Chambal region of Madhya Pradesh.
Among the many famous dialogues in the movie, the most iconic lines remain the ones when Tomar, his gaze fixated at a journalist interviewing him, says, “beehad mein baaghi hote hain, dacait milte hain Parliament mein.”
Khan sahab, you were brilliant at what you did and that will always live on. Thank you for bringing your art to us the way you did. Strength to those grieving.
— Sunil Chhetri (@chetrisunil11) April 29, 2020
The most striking part about the film is that it doesn’t tell a story about an inspiring journey filled with obstacles like a ‘Dangal’, a ‘Chak de India’, or a ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’.
It was indeed a gut-wrenching tale of a man who had the potential to do so much more only for the circumstances as well as the apathetic administrative system that led him on the path of violence.
Irrfan Khan’s demise is 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.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 29, 2020
