 |
| Image Source: INSTAGRAM / IRRFAN |
Irrfan Khan was an Indian actor who worked in Hindi, British and American films. He was widely regarded as one of the finest actors in Indian cinema and earned numerous accolades, including a National Film Award, an Asian Film Award, and six Filmfare Awards. He was also honoured with the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian award, in 2011. In 2021, he was posthumously awarded the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award.
Irrfan Khan Early Life, Family, Education:
Irrfan Khan was born as Sahabzade Irfan Ali Khan on 7 January 1967 in Jaipur, Rajasthan. His father, Yaseen Ali Khan, was a wealthy businessman who owned a tyre shop. His mother, Saeeda Begum Khan, was a homemaker. He had two brothers, Salman Khan and Imran Khan, and a sister, Rukhsana Begum. He belonged to a Pathan ethnic group and followed Islam as his religion.
Irrfan Khan was interested in cricket since his childhood and wanted to become a professional cricketer. He played for the CK Nayudu Tournament with his best friend Satish Sharma. However, his father did not support his cricketing aspirations and wanted him to join the family business.
Irrfan Khan completed his schooling from St. Paul’s School in Jaipur and National Higher Secondary School in Kota. He then enrolled in a B.Sc course at Rajasthan College in Jaipur, but he soon lost interest in academics and dropped out after one year.
He then joined the National School of Drama (NSD) in New Delhi to pursue his passion for acting. He graduated from NSD with a diploma in dramatic arts in 1987.
Irrfan Khan Wife, Religious Beliefs and Hobbies:
In 1995 Irrfan married his girlfriend, whose name is Sutapa Sikdar. From this marriage, both had two children, whom they have called Babil and Ayan. Irrfan is said to have met his wife at the drama school. Sutapa was also a student at this theater school like Irrfan and their friendship that started from here had turned into love.
Irrfan Khan was born into a Muslim family, but he did not follow any orthodox rituals or practices. He believed in spirituality and humanity more than religion. He once said, "I don’t believe in any religion but I believe that there is some superpower which is beyond our imagination." He also said that he respected all religions and learned from them.
Irrfan Khan’s hobbies included reading, playing chess, watching movies, travelling, and gardening. He was an avid reader of books by authors like Franz Kafka, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Anton Chekhov, Leo Tolstoy, and Rabindranath Tagore. He also enjoyed watching films by directors like Satyajit Ray, Akira Kurosawa, Ingmar Bergman, Federico Fellini, and Martin Scorsese.
He loved to travel and explore different cultures and places. He visited countries like Japan, Morocco, France, Italy, Spain, England, America, and Canada. He also had a passion for gardening and had a collection of exotic plants at his home.
Also Read: Ankita Sharma Age, Height, Weight, Boyfriend, Biography, Wiki & More.
Irrfan Khan Career, Achievements and Famous Dialogues:
Irrfan Khan made his film debut with a small role in Mira Nair’s Salaam Bombay! (1988), which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. However, he struggled to find meaningful roles in the film industry for many years. He acted in some television shows like Shrikant (1985), Chanakya (1991), Bharat Ek Khoj (1992), Chandrakanta (1994), Banegi Apni Baat (1994), Star Bestsellers (1999), etc.
He got his breakthrough with Asif Kapadia’s British film The Warrior (2001), which won the BAFTA Award for Best British Film. He then gained recognition in India with his roles in Vishal Bhardwaj’s Maqbool (2004), an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth; Tigmanshu Dhulia’s Haasil (2003), a romantic thriller; and Nagesh Kukunoor’s Iqbal (2005), a sports drama.
He went on to deliver critically acclaimed performances in films like The Namesake (2006), Life in a… Metro (2007), Mumbai Meri Jaan (2008), Slumdog Millionaire (2008), New York (2009), Paan Singh Tomar (2011), The Lunchbox (2013), Haider (2014), Piku (2015), Talvar (2015), Hindi Medium (2017), Qarib Qarib Singlle (2017), Karwaan (2018), etc.
He also made his mark in Hollywood with films like A Mighty Heart (2007), The Darjeeling Limited (2007), The Amazing Spider-Man (2012), Life of Pi (2012), Jurassic World (2015), Inferno (2016), etc.
He won several awards for his acting skills, including the National Film Award for Best Actor for Paan Singh Tomar; six Filmfare Awards; an Asian Film Award; an Independent Spirit Award nomination; two Screen Actors Guild Award nominations; etc.
He was also posthumously awarded the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021.
Some of his famous dialogues are:
- "Ek baar jo maine commitment kar di … uske baad toh main khud ki bhi nahi sunta" from Rog
- "Yeh shehar ek fashion show ki tarah hai … jahaan pe na jaane kitne log apne apne role ada karte hai" from Life in a… Metro
- "Maine apne pairon pe khada hona seekha hai … tere bina" from Haasil
- "Mujhe states ke naam na sunai dete hai na dikhai dete hai … sirf ek mulk ka naam sunai deta hai I-N-D-I-A" from New York
- "Beehad mein baaghi hote hain … dacait milte hain parliament mein" from Paan Singh Tomar
- "Sometimes the wrong train can take you to the right station" from The Lunchbox
- "Humare yahan ghadi ki sui character decide karti hai" from Piku
- "Doobte ko tinke ka sahara nahi milta … doobte ko doobna padta hai" from Talvar
- "English is not a language … it’s a class" from Hindi Medium
- "Saath jeene marne wali love story nahi hai humari … sirf marne ke liye hi bani hai humari kahani" from Qarib Qarib Singlle
Also Read: Mehtab Virk Biography - Age, Facts, Childhood, Family & More.
Irrfan Khan Controversy details:
Irrfan landed himself in a controversy over his remarks on the Islamic ritual of ‘qurbani’, or sacrificing animals on Eid-al-Adha, while he was promoting his film Madaari in Jaipur in 2016. He said that people had forgotten the real meaning behind rituals and festivals and had turned them into a spectacle. He also questioned the practice of sacrificing goats on Eid-al-Adha. His comments were criticized by some Muslim clerics who accused him of being ignorant and disrespectful of Islam.
Irrfan responded by tweeting that he was not against any religion but wanted people to introspect and understand the essence of their faith. He also said that he respected all religions and beliefs but did not follow any.
 |
| Image Source: INSTAGRAM / IRRFAN |
| Bio/Wiki | |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Sahabzade Irrfan Ali Khan |
| Profession(s) | Actor, Producer |
| Physical Stats & More | |
| Height | in centimeters- 183 cm in meters- 1.83 m in feet inches- 6’ |
| Eye Colour | Dark Brown |
| Hair Colour | Black |
| Career | |
| Debut | Film Hindi: Salaam Bombay (1988) Film British: The Warrior (2001) Film Hollywood: A Mighty Heart (2007) TV Actor: Shrikant (1985) |
| Last Film | Angrezi Medium (2020) as "Champak Bansal" |
| Awards, Honours | National Film Award 2013: Best Actor for Paan Singh Tomar Filmfare Awards 2004: Best Actor in a Negative Role for Haasil 2008: Best Supporting Actor for Life in a... Metro 2013: Best Actor (Critics) for Paan Singh Tomar 2018: Best Actor for Hindi Medium Government of India Awards 2011: Honoured with Padma Shri by the Government of India Other Awards 2004: Screen Awards for Best Performance in a Negative Role for Haasil 2012: CNN-IBN Indian of the Year 2013: Institute for Research and Documentation in Social Sciences awarded him as Best Male Character for Paan Singh Tomar Note: Along with these, he had many other awards, honors, and achievements to his name. |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 7 January 1967 (Saturday) |
| Birthplace | Jaipur, Rajasthan, India |
| Date of Death | 29 April 2020 (Wednesday) |
| Place of Death | Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Mumbai |
| Death Cause | Colon Infection Note: In 2018, the actor had announced that he’d been diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumor. |
| Age (at the time of death) | 53 Years |
| Birthplace | Jaipur, Rajasthan, India |
| Zodiac sign | Capricorn |
| Signature | |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Hometown | Khajuriya Village, Tonk District, Rajasthan, India |
| College/University | National School of Drama (NSD), New Delhi |
| Educational Qualification | Diploma in Dramatic Arts from NSD |
| Religion | Islam |
| Caste/Ethnicity | Pathan |
| Food Habit | Vegetarian |
| Address | 5th floor of an apartment in Oshiwara, Mumbai |
| Hobbies | Reading, Playing Cricket |
| Girls, Affairs and More | |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Affairs/Girlfriends | Sutapa Sikdar (Dialogue writer) |
| Marriage Date | 23 February 1995 |
| Family | |
| Wife/Spouse | Sutapa Sikdar (Dialogue writer, m. 1995-present) |
| Children | Sons- Ayaan Khan, Babil Khan Daughter- None |
| Parents | Father- Sahabzada Yaseen Ali Khan (Entrepreneur) Mother- Sayeeda Begum |
| Siblings | Brothers- Salman Khan, Imran Khan Sister- Rukhsana Begum |
| Favorite Things | |
| Actor | Philip Seymour Hoffman, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Marlon Brando |
| Film | The Men (1950) |
| Restaurant | Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat in France |
| Colour | Black |
| Sport | Cricket |
| Style Quotient | |
| Car Collection | SUV |
| Money Factor | |
| Salary (approx.) | Rs. 12-14 crore/film |
| Net Worth (approx.) | Rs. 344 Crores ($50 million) (as in 2018) |
Irrfan Khan Personality and Acting Career:
Irrfan was known for his humble, down-to-earth and charismatic personality. He was admired by his fans, colleagues and critics for his versatility, spontaneity and naturalness as an actor. He had a distinctive voice and style that made him stand out from other actors. He could portray complex characters with ease and subtlety.
He once said that he did not believe in method acting but rather relied on his instincts and imagination. He also said that he did not have any idols or role models but learned from every actor he worked with. He was influenced by actors like Dilip Kumar, Naseeruddin Shah, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Marlon Brando.
He was also interested in writing scripts and producing films. He co-produced Madaari (2016) with Shailesh Singh and co-wrote Qarib Qarib Singlle (2017) with Tanuja Chandra.
Interesting and Little Known Details about His Life and Unknown Facts.
Irrfan changed his name from Irfan to Irrfan as he liked the sound of an extra ‘r’ in his name.
Irrfan met his wife Sutapa Sikdar at NSD where she was his senior. They got married in 1995 after dating for five years.
Irrfan had two sons with Sutapa: Babil Khan and Ayan Khan.
Irrfan was very fond of plants and had a collection of more than 100 varieties of plants at his home.
Irrfan loved travelling and exploring new places. He visited places like Japan, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, London, New York and Los Angeles.
Irrfan was an avid reader and enjoyed reading books on philosophy, spirituality, history and fiction.
Irrfan was also fond of music and liked listening to songs by Kishore Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar, Jagjit Singh, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Bob Marley.
Irrfan had a tattoo of a dragon on his right arm which he got when he was young.
Irrfan had a fear of flying which he overcame after working in Hollywood films.
His Private Life and Personal Quotes:
Irrfan had a happy married life with Sutapa Sikdar who supported him throughout his career and personal challenges. They shared a strong bond of love, friendship and respect. They faced many difficulties together such as financial problems, career struggles and health issues.
Irrfan was diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumour, a rare form of cancer that affects cells that release hormones into the bloodstream, in March 2018. He underwent treatment in London for almost a year before returning to India in February 2019. He resumed working on his film Angrezi Medium which released in March 2020.
However, his health deteriorated again due to colon infection caused by the cancer. He passed away on 29 April 2020 at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai at the age of 53.
His death shocked the film industry as well as his fans who mourned the loss of one of India’s finest actors. Many celebrities paid tribute to him on social media platforms expressing their grief and admiration for him.
Some of his personal quotes are:
- "The day I become conventional there will be no emotion left in my acting."
- "I cannot live anywhere else except India."
- "Maybe to become famous is to reassure yourself that whatever you’re lacking inside you’ve fulfilled that."
- "The sign of a good society is where talent is respected."
- "You cannot reduce the power of story with the tag of money because it’s not a share market."
Impact of His Actions or Achievements and His Legacy:
Irrfan Khan left behind a legacy of excellence as an actor who transcended boundaries of language, culture and genre with his remarkable performances. He inspired many aspiring actors with his passion, dedication and humility.
He also contributed to social causes such as education, environment protection and women empowerment through various campaigns and initiatives.
He was honoured with many awards posthumously such as:
- Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award
- Dadasaheb Phalke Award
- Screen Actors Guild Award
- BAFTA Award
- Academy Award
He will always be remembered as one of India’s most talented actors who brought joy to millions of people with his films.