The day I become conventional, something inside me will die.
Irrfan Khan
Day 48 of lockdown. This year; It just keeps getting worse. I woke up pretty late today and to my surprise, I saw messages flooding with #RIP_Irrfan. It took me a few moments to realize that it was true. Irrfan was not just an actor, he was a remarkable human being, one of my true favourites. As the day passed, it dawned on me, that this loss felt very personal. It was around two years back when I came to know of this condition that he was suffering from (forgive me if I don’t know how to spell or knowledge of this ailment).
— Irrfan (@irrfank) March 16, 2018
Maybe when you think of Irrfan, the first movie that might come to your mind would be his some of his latest like Haider, English Medium, Piku, Madaari or Karwaan but for me, it strikes a chord, as I remember the movie for which I fell in love with his acting. It was The Namesake. I had read the book; it was an absolute masterpiece but seeing Irrfan bring out the character on the screen was a pure delight to the senses. It was not a glamorous role, rather a role so much akin to the common man that each of you could relate to. A common Bengali couple who move to the US, raising their kids and adapt to life on foreign land.
Year 2014, I witnessed Irrfan’s masterpiece, Haider. The character Roohdar was marvelous. Once again he charmed us with his impeccable dialogue delivery.
Haider’s Father: Roohdar tum Shia ho ya Sunni? Roohdar: Dariya bhi main, Darakht bhi main; Jhelum bhi…
Posted by Dipan Kumar Rout on Saturday, 4 October 2014
When you think of him, you can’t help but remember his magical voice, each delivery of dialogues. I remember specifically, this poetry from 7 Khoon Maaf wherein he played the role of an Urdu poet. You just can’t help but feel yourself lost in the way he recites..
मज़हबों वाले पूछते हैं अब किसने पहले कुदाल मारी थी, कोई कहता है एक मस्जिद थी, कोई कहता है एक मंदिर था।
Religious people ask who strike the first hoe, some say it was a mosque, some say a temple.
सर झुका के ज़मीन पे रखने से, अब खुदा पाँव खीँच लेता है
Now when you bow down, God tends to pull you leg. He infact finds it hard to believe that once he had his home on this land.
उसको भी अब यकीं नहीं आता, इस ज़मीन पे उसीका एक घर था।
and then he goes on to one of the most soothing poems, Ik baar toh yun hoga..
Ik Baar to yun hoga
Thoda sa sukoon hoga
Na dil mein kasak hogi
Na sar pe Junnoon hoga
Ik tham chuki si shaam hogi
Thoda Mausam bhi mehrbaan hoga
Na maathe par koi shikan hogi
Na fiqra ka bhi naam-o-nishaan hoga
Ik ubhri hui si raah hogi
Thoda sambhla hua sa karvaan hoga
Na kuch paane ki bhi chaah hogi
Na hi koi lut chuka jahaan hoga
Ik suljhi hui si paheli hogi
Thoda mehka hua sa baghbaan hoga
Na koi kaanto se rubaroo hoga
Na hi koi shamma pe kurbaan hoga
Ik simti hui si khushi hogi
Thoda nikhra hua sa aanewaala sama hoga
Na kisi ke khilaaf bolti koi zubaan hogi
Na hi uljhano mein lipat koi fanaa hoga
Ik dheemi chalti dhadkan hogi
Suro mein samaa bayaan hoga
Na kisi se koi shikwa hoga
Na ye dil itna bekaraan hoga
Bas Ik Baar to yun hoga
Ki thoda sa sukoon hoga
Na dil mein koi kasak hogi
Na sar pe kisi ka Junnoon hoga
Some his quotes will touch your heart and you will understand why he was one of the finest actors that India has produced.
“Wanting fame is a disease and one day I will want to be free from this disease, from this desire. Where fame doesn’t matter. Where just experiencing life and being okay with it is enough.”
Irrfan Khan
I can’t think of a more pathetic situation for an actor than to do a film and not connect to it. And I pray to God that I never face that situation.
Irrfan Khan
What pained me the most, was the fact that his mom passed away a week earlier and he could not meet her due to the Covid lockdown scenario. I can understand his pain.
माँ कहती थी, बेटा हो सके तो जयपुर लौट आना और वह अध्यापक की नौकरी कर लेना.
“Mom used to say, Son if possible do return to Jaipur and take the job of a teacher.”
As I go through the tweets now, I see Kal Penn, his fellow actor has put it very beautifully.
Irrfan’s art and humanity will be badly missed. Never seen someone use the beats of silence so beautifully to convey so much about who we are. Sending love to Sutapa and the family. pic.twitter.com/L3NN1wuz6H
— Kal Penn (@kalpenn) April 29, 2020
I’m neither good at expressing thoughts nor at giving a good conclusion but what I can say is “Irrfan, you were one of the most remarkable actor and human, I have come across and its very tough to get another legend like you.”
Rest in Peace…
So expressively the thoughts have been penned down in such a simplicity, is just marvelous.
Thanks Istiaque for you encouraging words.