He is actually Sahabzade Irrfan Ali Khan but goes simply by Irrfan these days. He is one of a kind in six-pack-obsessed Bollywood. With his unconventional looks coupled with a quite singular talent, he has carved out a niche for himself in an industry that worships good looks and runs on God-fatherly patronage. With the first look of his upcoming film Madaari just released, we look at what makes Irrfan a force to reckon with.
He started with TV
He was a part of various serials such as Chanakya, Bharat Ek Khoj, Banegi Apni Baat and many others which made him a known face in India. And I know what you’re thinking…. He was always err… unconventional looking.
The Warrior made him internationally famous
British Indian filmmaker Asif Kapadia cast him as the lead in this 2001 film which was well received at several international festivals.
He is at ease with commercial and critically acclaimed films
While on the one hand he effortlessly plays the lead in the highly acclaimed Maqbool, Vishal Bhardwaj’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth; a layered, nuanced performance….
….he is as convincing playing the neatnik Dabboo in Krrrazy 4 with a bunch of other madcaps.
We cannot imagine anyone else in The Lunchbox
He plays a man much older than he actually is; and he elevated the role of the retired widower Saajan Fernandez in The Lunchbox from the mundane to the sublime.
He transforms ordinary into extraordinary
In Paan Singh Tomar he plays a dacoit and does it so adroitly and believably, that we have a realistic but utterly riveting film… we once again come away thinking no one else could have done justice to the role.
He holds his own with the best
He more than holds his own in the SRK starrer Billu, and his insouciant Rana Chowdhry is more than a match for the irascible Bhashkor Bannerjee played by the formidable Amitabh Bachchan in Piku.
He is quite inimitable
When it comes to TV commercials, the completely conversational tone he adopts is effective in grabbing the attention. When he says Samjhe? With that little tilt of the head, he makes us feel foolish not to be using whichever product he’s selling.
We will now see him in Madaari
In his upcoming movie Madaari, he will be playing a vigilante in a film based on a real life incident the resulted in many people getting injured and even losing their lives. The trailer isn’t out yet, but we’ll keep an eye out for it.
What do you guys think about Irrfan Khan?
Author – Reena Daruwalla
