India's Gift To World Cinema - Irrfan Khan | A Homage

In this article we pay homage to an actor par excellence and who was truly India's gift to World Cinema: Irrfan Khan. 


On 29th April, 2020, India lost one of its finest thespians: Irrfan Khan. He was battling a rare cancer and succumbed to an infection. He was surrounded by family when he breathed his last in Mumbai. Irrfan as he was known was an alumni of the revered National School of Drama, Delhi. He began his career as a theatre actor and graduated to doing quality television. He was a part of many meaningful and successful tv shows such as: Bharat – Ek Khoj, Chanakya, Chandrakanta, Banegi Apni Baat, Just Mohabbat and Jai Hanuman amongst others. 

Irrfan went on to act in some top films, along side some of the finest actors and directors in  Bollywood and Hollywood. He also voiced the role of Simon Masrani in 2 video games that were release on 2015 by Warner Bros.

Listed below are top 12 super hit films that Irrfan stared and shined in:

1. Angrezi Medium
Champak, an unassuming mithai shop owner and single father is set to fulfill his daughter's dream to study in London. However, certain misadventures lead him and his family on a new quest, one which renews their relationships and bonds.

2. Blackmail
Dev discovers that his wife, Reena, has been cheating on him with Ranjit. To teach them a lesson, he decides to blackmail the cheating duo as part of his revenge.

3. Hindi Medium
Raj and Mita Batra yearn to get Pia, their daughter, educated from a posh school. When they learn that their background is holding her back, they are willing to go to any lengths to change her fate.

4. The Jungle Book
Raised by a family of wolves since birth, Mowgli must leave the only home he's ever known when the fearsome tiger Shere Khan unleashes his mighty roar. Guided by a no-nonsense panther and a free-spirited bear, the young boy meets an array of jungle animals, including a slithery python and a smooth-talking ape. Along the way, Mowgli learns valuable life lessons as his epic journey of self-discovery leads to fun and adventure.

5. Talvar
A hardened cop deals with three conflicting perspectives involving a brutal double murder. The case is complicated as the prime suspects are the parents who supposedly killed their teenage daughter.

6. Piku
A road trip to Kolkata brings Piku, an architect, closer to her ageing but nagging father Bhaskor Banerjee despite their disparate ideologies and fights over trivial issues.

7. The Lunchbox
Lonely housewife Ila decides to try adding some spice to her stale marriage by preparing a special lunch for her neglectful husband. Unfortunately, the delivery goes astray and winds up in the hands of Saajan, an irritable widower. Curious about her husband's lack of response, Ila adds a note to the next day's lunchbox, and thus begins an unusual friendship in which Saajan and Ila can talk about their joys and sorrows without ever meeting in person.

8. Life of Pi
After deciding to sell their zoo in India and move to Canada, Santosh and Gita Patel board a freighter with their sons and a few remaining animals. Tragedy strikes when a terrible storm sinks the ship, leaving the Patels' teenage son, Pi (Suraj Sharma), as the only human survivor. However, Pi is not alone; a fearsome Bengal tiger has also found refuge aboard the lifeboat. As days turn into weeks and weeks drag into months, Pi and the tiger must learn to trust each other if both are to survive.

9. Paan Singh Tomar
Paan Singh Tomar, an athlete, wins gold medals at the Indian National Games seven times in a row. He is forced to become a dacoit when his mother is murdered and the police don't take any action.

10. Slumdog Millionaire
As 18-year-old Jamal Malik answers questions on the Indian version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," flashbacks show how he got there. Part of a stable of young thieves after their mother dies, Jamal and his brother, Salim, survive on the streets of Mumbai. Salim finds the life of crime agreeable, but Jamal scrapes by with small jobs until landing a spot on the game show.

11. The Namesake
After moving from Calcutta to New York, members of the Ganguli family maintain a delicate balancing act between honouring the traditions of their native India and blending into American culture. Although parents Ashoke and Ashima are proud of the sacrifices they make to give their offspring opportunities, their son Gogol strives to forge his own identity without forgetting his heritage.

12. Maqbool
In Mumbai's criminal underworld, the lord of all lords is Jahangir Khan. Those loyal to him include Maqbool, his chief. But Maqbool is in love with Nimmi, Jahangir's mistress, who convinces him to be ambitious and take over the empire. After manoeuvring potential rivals out of the way, Maqbool betrays Jahangir, murdering him in his own bed. However, it isn't long before both Maqbool and Nimmi are haunted by the ghosts of their treacherous deeds.

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