According to The New York Times, Bollywood and Indian actor Irrfan Khan died at the age of 53 due to a colon infection on April 29, 2020.
While a prominent and well-known Bollywood star in his own right, Irrfan Khan starred in many mainstream and blockbuster films that we have all seen or at least heard of like Best Picture winner Slumdog Millionaire (2008), Jurassic World (2015), The Amazing Spider-Man (2012), Best Picture nominee Life of Pi (2012), and Inferno (2016), the third film in Dan Brown’s Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) series directed by Ron Howard.
This comes as quite a shock to all of us. I actually just recently watched Slumdog Millionaire for the first time a few days ago. As soon as I saw him on screen I thought, “Oh man, this guy! I like this guy.” Whether playing a role with bad intentions or redeeming attributes, Irrfan Khan always struck me as a very gifted actor. Khan had a certain presence and demeanor about him that was simultaneously sophisticated and mysterious. Every time I see him I know that he is going to deliver a great performance. Even in smaller roles in films like Jurassic World or The Amazing Spider-Man, he was on screen enough to make an impact in his resonating performances. If I had to choose, my favorite role of his would probably have to be in either of his Oscar-winning films like the menacing Police Chief in Slumdog or the reflective adult title character in Life of Pi, which both feature him quite prominently.
Irrfan Khan’s last film appearance was in the Indian film Angrezi Medium (2020), which released just this last March during the beginning of the coronavirus spread here in the US. He does have one other film listed as in development according to the Internet Movie Database (IMDb). It has no date attached, so it is unknown at this time if Khan was indeed filmed or involved, Lions of the Sea. Just imagine the kind of performances he would bring us in the future if he was still here.
Other notable film credits include: New York, I Love You (2008), The Namesake (2006), and The Lunchbox (2013).
Rest in peace, Irrfan Khan. Thank you for your impact on the world of film, and we really mean the “world.” You left us well before your time.
