Irrfan’s train journey might have screeched to a halt, but will live in his fans hearts

Hyderabad: Irrfan Khan, a multifaceted actor has left us with memories the industry and his fans will always cherish. His name resonated with every film goer in India. He is probably one of those actors who actually put India on the global map in the world of cinema.

A look back at his roller coaster life shows that his journey in this world was no less than a Bollywood film. With roots from a small village in Rajasthan, dropping out of cricket due to financial crisis, getting a scholarship in National School of Drama, moving to Mumbai, working in small television shows, struggling to get good breaks to emerging as an acting institution not just in India but across the globe. The 53-year-old actor has seen it all.

In fact, he is one of those actors who actually opened up about #metoo during one of his movie promotions. When he was asked if scandals like Harvey Weinstein happen in India, he said he too faced a lot of such instances. He didn’t want to mention those names but said he was asked to compromise sometimes to get the job.

People across the globe are mourning his death. Although news about his ailments and his open letter have been doing the rounds on the internet for a while now, the news that he breathed his last on Wednesday has come as a big shock to the country. Many of his compelling roles in movies like "The Lunch Box", "Life of Pi", "Slumdog Millionaire", "Hindi Medium", "Angrezi Medium" have left a lasting effect on his fans. He also swayed audience the Western audience with his roles in movies like, "Inferno", "Jurassic World", "Puzzle" and the list goes on.

His impassioned eyes and adept dialogue delivery will always be remembered.

In his overwhelming letter, he had opened up about his,"rare" disease and revealed his affliction and his journey through it. It reads, "It’s been quite some time now since I have been diagnosed with a high-grade neuroendocrine cancer. This new name in my vocabulary, I got to know, was rare, and due to fewer study cases, and less information comparatively, the unpredictability of the treatment was more. I was part of a trial-and-error game, I had been in a different game, I was travelling on a speedy train ride, had dreams, plans, aspirations, goals, was fully engaged in them. And suddenly someone taps on my shoulder and I turn to see. It’s the TC: “Your destination is about to come. Please get down.” I am confused: “No, no. My destination hasn’t come.No, this is it. This is how it is sometimes.”

The suddenness made me realise how you are just a cork floating in the ocean with unpredictable currents! And you are desperately trying to control it.

In this chaos, shocked, afraid and in panic, while on one of the terrifying hospital visits, I blabber to my son, 'The only thing I expect from ME is not to face this crisis in this present state. I desperately need my feet. Fear and panic should not overrule me and make me miserable'."

The actor was unable to promote his latest movie, "Angrezi Medium" due to his illness and the movie too, aired in the cinemas for a few days before the pandemic broke out. His mother, Saeeda Begum passed away in Jaipur on the 25th of April, 2020 and sadly, the actor had to attend the funeral through a video call owing it to the lockdown. He was admitted to,"Kokilaben Dhirubai Ambani Hospital" in Mumbai on 28th of April, 2020 for treatment of his colon infection and breathed his last on Wednesday.