A star without a ‘star’s face’
I remember watching one of Irrfan Khan’s interviews where he talked about how he didn't have a “star’s face”, but that didn't stop him from becoming an actor (“Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan noted for Slumdog Millionaire, Life of Pi dies at 53”, Gulf News, April 29).
He was one of the first few artists in Bollywood to get mainstream attention for his talent and that was always inspiring to me.
I remember watching the movie "The Killer" and being overwhelmed by his performance. He quickly became known for doing good cinema, and that really set a precedent for young filmmakers and actors. It instilled a ray of hope that there was space in Bollywood for art and good storytelling. He then started showing up in Hollywood, which in a way was confirmation that a genius never goes unrecognised. It was a collective moment of pride for India when the camera panned to reveal his face in Hollywood films like “The Amazing Spiderman”, or “Jurassic World”, especially him setting the tone for an award winning film like “Life of Pi”. I was in India when the new Spiderman film was released, and I remember the entire hall applauding and rooting for Irrfan, more than Spiderman! As he leaves us, I can see that not just India, but the world is giving him a standing ovation.
From Mr Nikhil Wadhwa
Dubai
Irrfan Khan: An iconic actor
An era has ended with the passing of iconic Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan (“Bollywood stars, Modi mourn Irrfan Khan’s death”, Gulf News, April 29). The world has lost a truly versatile actor who excelled in all the roles he played. He was a product of the famous the National School of Drama (NSD), and was an actor par excellence. He is one of India's most recognisable stars in the West. Khan had many distinguished films release in his career, which panned over three decades. The acclaimed actor had done many memorable films, which included Academy Award nominated "Salam Bombay","Paan Singh Tomar" and "Maqbool".
He was one of the finest stars in Indian cinema and was someone every director wanted to work with. He received numerous awards and citations for his excellence in the film industry. He was awarded India's fourth highest civilian award, the Padma Shri, and is also a recipient of numerous Filmfare awards, Bollywood’s equivalent to an Oscar.
Khan was India's greatest artistic talent who had a superb voice. His death has left a big void in the world of cinema. He has left behind millions of heartbroken fans. He will be greatly missed by moviegoers, not only in India but also around the world.
From Mr Ramesh G. Jethwani,
Bengaluru, India
Missed on the big screen
Actor Irrfan Khan died after his battle with cancer. He was only 53 years old. In 2018 we came to know that he was afflicted with a rare cancer, and went to London for treatment and came back to India to complete his film “Angrezi Medium”. The movie did release recently and I was planning on seeing it, when India went into lockdown because of the spread of coronavirus. Who can forget his memorable films? He starred in movies like “Hindi Medium”, “Life of Pi”, “Lunch Box” and “Piku”. He was such a natural actor. His talent was versatile. He did different kinds of films, some intense as some lighthearted movies. I liked him very much in a film called “Billoo” where he played a poor barber who was the childhood friend of the superstar Shah Rukh Khan. The twists and turns in the film were beautifully enacted and Irrfan Khan was very believable in his role. We will miss him on the big screen. I will watch his latest release “Angrezi Medium”, and will appreciate it more now, knowing that it was his last project as an actor.
From Ms Aruna Mathur,
New Delhi, India
Change in perspective
Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan’s sudden death puts a lot of things into perspective (“Bollywood's Irrfan Khan leaves a lasting legacy”, Gulf News, April 29). When you think about celebrities and superstars, you assume that they will live forever. But when something like this happens, your perspective on life changes. Death doesn’t differentiate. Given the current coronavirus pandemic, I hope this teaches us to have gratitude for everything we have. Khan, you will be missed.
From Ms Alia M.
Dubai
A forever fan
The Bollywood star was a gem of an actor and played each role to perfection ("Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan laid to rest at Mumbai's Versova burial ground", Gulf News, April 29). I used to enjoy his screen presence, as he was such a natural! I remember watching him in several films, the one’s I’ve enjoyed the most are “Maqbool”, “Haider”, “Piku” and “Hindi Medium”. He shone like a star in each one of those. I am going to ensure I watch all his films all over again as a tribute to the great actor. I am really sad to hear about his death. May his soul rest in peace.
From Mr Shrikant Kelkar
Dubai
Beating nepotism, making a mark
Irrfan Khan beat nepotism in Bollywood and made a mark for himself. He is a very versatile actor, and is liked by teenagers and grown-ups. He did touch international waters with his acting too. From sitting afar, one can say that impossible was nothing for the actor, who made his dreams come true with focus, prayers and dedication. He showed everyone that hard work and only hard work would yield positive results. He was simple and charming and made other stars look better on screen, when he shared the frame with them. He made personalities like Amitabh Bachchan stand out, and I think it was thanks to him that his role in the film “Piku” became larger than life. That's the power of his screen presence. His acting and naughty smile will be missed dearly. Lastly, his role in the film in “Billu”, alongside super star Shah Rukh Khan, was adored and won the hearts of the common man.
From Mr Rahil Aslam Khan
Dubai
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