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IMDbPro

Irrfan Khan(1967-2020)

  • Actor
  • Director
  • Producer
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Irrfan Khan
We take a look back at the late actor's career and contribution to world cinema.
Play clip4:18
The Rise of Irrfan Khan
58 Videos
99+ Photos
Born Sahabzade Irfan Ali Khan, in Jaipur, Rajasthan (NW India) January 7, 1967 to a Pashto-speaking Muslim family. Khan's mother, Begum Khan, was from the Tonk Hakim family and his father, Jagirdar Khan, from the Khajuriya village near the Tonk district, ran a tire business.

The Khan family name comes from Turkish and Mongol languages and mean "king" or great leader. Descendants of Genghis Khan (13th century) in central Asia adopted Islam and became the Moghuls, who conquered India for several centuries until British rule.

Irfan was a skilled cricket player. In his early 20's he was selected for the CK Nayudu Tournament (a stepping stone to First Class cricket). He did not turn up for the tournament owing to lack of funds and as a result he focused on acting.

In 1984 he earned a scholarship to the National School of Acting in New Delhi.

He was awarded the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian honor for his contribution to the field of arts.

His portrayal of Paan Singh Tomar in the acclaimed biographical sports drama Paan Singh Tomar (2011) won him the National Film Award for Best Actor and a Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor. His performance in the BAFTA Award nominated romance The Lunchbox (2013) earned him universal acclaim by the critics and audiences.

Globally, Khan was in The Warrior (2001), The Namesake (2006), The Darjeeling Limited (2007), the Academy Award-winning film Slumdog Millionaire (2008), New York, I Love You (2009), The Amazing Spider-Man (2012), Life of Pi (2012), Jurassic World (2015) and Inferno (2016). As of 2017, his films have grossed $3.643 billion at the worldwide box office. In 2018, Khan was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumor.

Khan got married to his wife Sutapa Sikdar, in 1995. She is a Hindu of the Brahmin caste. She is a movie producer, dialogue writer and screenwriter. Among her famous movies are Khamoshi: The Musical (Dialogue Writer, 1996), Supari (Dialogue Writer, 2003), Kahaani (Dialogue Writer, 2003), Madaari (Producer, 2016), Qarib Qarib Singlle (Producer, 2017)

They have two kids: Ayaan Khan, Babil Khan

Unlike most Indian film stars, Irrfan has been outspoken on religion. On Arnab Goswami's talk show, he took on Muslim fundamentalists, including India's Grand Imam. Irrfan Khan argued against "transactional religious interaction" and for "personal religious discovery"..."to discover yourself, to find God". Though he admits he is "not an authority" on the Koran and Islamic Holy scriptures he has bravely stood by his comments despite heavy criticism and even threats of violence. He's aware of the dangers that his frank comments pose to him and his family. His wife commented, "We are very proud of him."
BornJanuary 7, 1967
DiedApril 29, 2020(53)
BornJanuary 7, 1967
DiedApril 29, 2020(53)
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • Awards
    • 39 wins & 52 nominations

Before They Were Famous: Actors' Early Roles

Before They Were Famous: Actors' Early Roles

See photos of celebrities like Michelle Williams and Jenna Ortega before they hit the big-time, and revisit some of their earliest onscreen roles.
See the full gallery
Production art
Photos

Photos182

Irrfan Khan in Salaam Bombay! (1988)
Irrfan Khan in Qarib Qarib Single (2017)
Irrfan Khan in Qarib Qarib Single (2017)
Irrfan Khan in Qarib Qarib Single (2017)
Irrfan Khan in #224 - Irrfan Khan (2020)
Irrfan Khan and Suniel Shetty in Thank You (2011)
Bobby Deol, Irrfan Khan, and Suniel Shetty in Thank You (2011)
Bobby Deol, Irrfan Khan, and Suniel Shetty in Thank You (2011)
Bobby Deol and Irrfan Khan in Thank You (2011)
Bobby Deol, Irrfan Khan, Akshay Kumar, and Suniel Shetty in Thank You (2011)
Irrfan Khan and Suniel Shetty in Thank You (2011)
Irrfan Khan and Nusrat Imrose Tisha in Doob - No Bed of Roses (2017)

Known for

Irrfan Khan and Nimrat Kaur in The Lunchbox (2013)
The Lunchbox
7.8
  • Saajan Fernandes
  • 2013
Irrfan Khan in Paan Singh Tomar (2012)
Paan Singh Tomar
8.2
  • Paan Singh Tomar
  • 2012
Anil Kapoor, Irrfan Khan, Mia Drake, Shruti Seth, Faezeh Jalali, Dev Patel, and Freida Pinto in Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
Slumdog Millionaire
8.0
  • Police Inspector
  • 2008
Chris Pratt in Jurassic World (2015)
Jurassic World
6.9
  • Masrani
  • 2015

Credits

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IMDbPro

Actor

  • Adhikar
    • (1996)
    • TV Series
  • Banegi Apni Baat
    • Released
    • TV Series
    • 1994–1998
  • Mano Ya Na Mano
    • Host
    • Released
    • TV Series
    • 2007
  • Alibaug
    • Completed
  • Apano Se Bewafai
    • Vishal
    • 2023
  • Murder at Teesri Manzil 302 (2021)
    Murder at Teesri Manzil 302
    • Mr. Chand
    • 2021
  • Kareena Kapoor, Dimple Kapadia, Irrfan Khan, Deepak Dobriyal, and Radhika Madan in Angrezi Medium (2020)
    Angrezi Medium
    • Champak Bansal
    • 2020
  • Love Sucks (2019)
    Love Sucks
    • Short
    • 2019
  • Karwaan (2018)
    Karwaan
    • Shaukat
    • 2018
  • Irrfan Khan in Blackmail (2018)
    Blackmail
    • Dev Kaushal
    • 2018
  • Guru Randhawa, Irrfan Khan, Kirti Kulhari: Patola
    • Irrfan Khan
    • Music Video
    • 2018
  • Dana Paani - Full Video, Qarib Qarib Singlle
    • Yogi
    • Video
    • 2018
  • Puzzle (2018)
    Puzzle
    • Robert
    • 2018
  • Irrfan Khan, Parvathy Thiruvothu, and Parag Vijra in Qarib Qarib Single (2017)
    Qarib Qarib Single
    • Yogendra 'Yogi' Kumar Devendra Nath Prajapati
    • 2017
  • Michael Ironside, Paul Freeman, Marcel Hensema, Jonathan Hyde, Irrfan Khan, and Hadewych Minis in Tokyo Trial (2017)
    Tokyo Trial
    • Radhabinod Pal
    • 2017
  • The Song of Scorpions (2017)
    The Song of Scorpions
    • Aadam
    • 2017
  • Irrfan Khan in Doob - No Bed of Roses (2017)
    Doob - No Bed of Roses
    • Javed Hasan
    • 2017
  • Irrfan Khan and Saba Qamar in Hindi Medium (2017)
    Hindi Medium
    • Raj Batra
    • 2017
  • Michael Ironside, Paul Freeman, Jonathan Hyde, Irrfan Khan, Hadewych Minis, and Julian Wadham in Tokyo Trial (2016)
    Tokyo Trial
    • Radhabinod Pal
    • TV Mini Series
    • 2016

Director

  • Banegi Apni Baat
    • Director
    • Released
    • TV Series
    • 1994–1998
  • Star Bestsellers (1999)
    Star Bestsellers
    • Director
    • TV Series
    • 1999

Producer

  • Irrfan Khan in Doob - No Bed of Roses (2017)
    Doob - No Bed of Roses
    • co-producer
    • 2017
  • Irrfan Khan and Nimrat Kaur in The Lunchbox (2013)
    The Lunchbox
    • executive producer
    • 2013
  • Star Bestsellers: Fursat Mein
    • producer
    • TV Series
    • 1999

Videos58

The Rise of Irrfan Khan
Clip 4:18
The Rise of Irrfan Khan
The Namesake
Clip 0:44
The Namesake
The Namesake
Clip 0:59
The Namesake
A Mighty Heart
Clip 0:38
A Mighty Heart
A Mighty Heart
Clip 1:49
A Mighty Heart
The Namesake
Interview 0:39
The Namesake
The Namesake
Interview 0:30
The Namesake
The Namesake
Interview 0:29
The Namesake
A Mighty Heart
Interview 0:51
A Mighty Heart
A Mighty Heart
Interview 0:37
A Mighty Heart
A Mighty Heart
Interview 0:28
A Mighty Heart
A Mighty Heart
Interview 0:46
A Mighty Heart

Personal details

Edit
  • Official sites
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
  • Alternative names
    • 'Irrfan'
  • Height
    • 5′ 10½″ (1.79 m)
  • Born
    • January 7, 1967
    • Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
  • Died
    • April 29, 2020
    • Mumbai, Maharashtra, India(colon infection)
  • Spouse
    • Sutapa SikdarFebruary 23, 1995 - April 29, 2020 (his death, 2 children)
  • Children
      Child
  • Other works
    Provided the voice of "Baloo" in the Hindi dubbed version of The Jungle Book (2016).
  • Publicity listings
    • 1 Article

Did you know

Edit
  • Trivia
    Was offered Matt Damon's part in 'Interstellar' and Chiwetel Ejiofer's part in 'The Martian', he ended up turning down both roles due to scheduling conflicts.
  • Quotes
    I often visualized giving my mother this big black suitcase crammed with notes like those gangsters do in our masala flicks.

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