Actor Irrfan Khan was born in India on January 7, 1967, and passed away on April 29, 2020. He appeared in both Indian and British films. Considered by many to be among the best performers in the world of film, Khan's career lasted more than 30 years and brought him several awards, such as six Filmfare Awards, an Asian Film Award, and a National Film Award. The fourth-highest civilian honour in India, the Padma Shri, was given to him in 2011. He received the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously in 2021.
Early Life
Saeeda Begum Khan, Khan's mother, was from Tonk, and Yaseen Ali Khan, Khan's father, was from Khajuriya village in the Tonk area of Rajasthan. Together, the Khan family operated a tyre company. After growing up in Tonk, he moved to Jaipur. Because of his skill in the game, Irrfan was chosen to compete in the CK Nayudu Trophy for developing players in the under-23 division, which is regarded as a prelude to Indian first-class cricket. But since he couldn't afford the trip costs, he didn't go. Under the influence of his maternal uncle, a Jodhpur theatrical artist himself, he developed a passion in performing. Khan performed on stage many times in Jaipur after being introduced to well-known theatrical performers there.
Career
Khan struggled for years after landing a tiny role in Salaam Bombay! (1988), his cinematic debut. He acted in a few student films produced by the Film and Television Institute of India, including the 1990 Sandeep Chattopadhyay-directed Reconnaissance. His breakout performances came in the dramas Haasil (2003) and Maqbool (2004), after his appearance in the British film The Warrior (2001). He later received praise from critics for his performances in Life in a... Metro (2007), Paan Singh Tomar (2011), and The Namesake (2006), for which he was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male. He was awarded the National Film Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of the movie's title character in the last of them.
He gained further recognition for his leading parts in the Hollywood productions The Amazing Spider-Man (2012), Life of Pi (2012), Jurassic World (2015), and Inferno (2016). He also had supporting roles in Piku (2015), Talvar (2015), and The Lunchbox (2013). In addition, he starred in the television series In Treatment (2010) and the films Slumdog Millionaire (2008), New York (2009), Haider (2014), and Gunday (2014). His comedy-drama Hindi Medium (2017) was the highest-grossing Hindi film release, and his last film role was in its sequel, Angrezi Medium (2020), for which he received the 2018 and 2021 Filmfare Awards for Best Actor.
Death
Khan passed away on April 29, 2020, from neuroendocrine cancer, which he was diagnosed with in March 2018. A prominent and charismatic performer in Hindi and English-language films, Khan's devoted career served as a vital link between South Asian and Hollywood filmmaking, according to Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian.