Irrfan Khan, the cross-over Bollywood actor know for his roles in Slumdog Millionaire, Life of Pi, The Lunchbox, died on Wednesday. He was 53.
He was admitted to the intensive care unit of Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital on Tuesday with a colon infection and on Wednesday morning a statement was released confirming his death, four days after his mother’s death in Jaipur.
The statement read, “‘I trust, I have surrendered’; These were the some of the many words that Irrfan expressed in a heartfelt note he wrote in 2018, opening up about his fight with cancer. And a man of few words and an actor of silent expressions with his deep eyes and his memorable actions on screen. It’s saddening that this day, we have to bring forward the news of him passing away. Irrfan was a strong soul, someone who fought till the very end and always inspired everyone who came close to him. After having been struck by lightning in 2018 with the news of a rare cancer, he took life soon after as it came and he fought the many battles that came with it. Surrounded by his love, his family for whom he most cared about, he left for his heavenly abode, leaving behind truly a legacy of his own. We all pray and hope that he is at peace. And to resonate and part with his words he had said, “As if I was tasting life for the first time, the magical side of it”.”
Khan revealed in 2018 that he had been diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumor, and after extensive treatment he resumed shooting the film, Angrezi Medium.
Khan made his film debut with a small role in Salaam Bombay! (1988) and went on star in The Namesake (2006), Life in a… Metro (2007), Paan Singh Tomar (2011), for which he won the National Film Award for Best Actor. He found more success in The Amazing Spider-Man (2012), Life of Pi (2012), The Lunchbox (2013), Piku (2015), Talvar (2015), Jurassic World (2015), and Inferno (2016).
Khan’s final film appearance was in Angrezi Medium, directed by Homi Adajania. The film was released in March 2020 but its theatrical run was cut short due to the coronavirus outbreak.
He is survived by his wife Sutapa Sikdar, and sons Babil and Ayan.
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