Indian actor Irrfan Khan of Slum Dog Millionaire and Life Of Pi and Amazing Spider-Man has died.
He passed on after a protracted battle with cancer his publicist announced.
Irrfan Khan was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumor in 2018.
He however died on Wednesday April 29 after he was admitted to a Mumbai hospital for colon infection.
“Irrfan was a strong soul, someone who fought till the very end and always inspired everyone who came close to him,” his publicist said in a statement.
He spent his final hours “surrounded by his love, his family for whom he most cared about,” another statement released by his family said.
Born Sahabzade Irfan Ali Khan in the Indian desert state of Rajasthan on January 7, 1967, Khan quickly discovered his passion for the arts and went on to school in the prestigious National Drama School.
His craft was however stifled by the then Bollywood which was fixated with churning out conventional song-and-dance blockbusters.
Also read
–Country Music Legend Kenny Rogers Dies At 81
–Cameroun Saxophone Legend Manu Dibango Dies Of Covid-19
–Veteran Nollywood Actress Patience Oseni Is Dead
Even after landing his first role in “Salaam Bombay” a 1988 movie by Mira Nair, his scenes were slashed to a Cameo causing him great pain.
Albeit these obstacles, Khan continued to hone his skills, sidestepping roles that had the markings of traditional troupe Bollywood movies.
He did several stints on television but was considered too unconventional for lead roles.
A frustrated Khan caught his first break when British director Asif Kapadia cast him as a mercenary in The Warrior. The 2001 movie quickly became an international success and opened bigger doors to him.
Khan is one of Bollywood’s biggest crossover to the western scene.
He featured in several award-winning international films such as The Warrior, Slumdog Millionaire and Life of Pi. In Hollywood, he worked in The Amazing Spider-Man, Inferno and Jurassic World.
The multiple award-winning actor left behind his wife, TV producer Sutapa Sikdar, and sons Babil and Ayan.
India’s Prime Minister in a Twitter tribute describes his death as a loss to the world.
See his tweet below
Irrfan Khan’s demise is a loss to the world of cinema and theatre. He will be remembered for his versatile performances across different mediums. My thoughts are with his family, friends and admirers. May his soul rest in peace.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 29, 2020
The president of India also took to Twitter to pay tribute to the late Irrfan Khan, describing his death as a big loss to cinema and millions of movie lovers.
Saddened by the untimely demise of noted actor Irrfan Khan. A rare talent and a brilliant actor, his diverse roles and remarkable performances will remain etched in our memories. A big loss to the world of cinema and millions of film lovers. Condolences to his family & admirers.
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) April 29, 2020
Some of his colleagues in the entertainment industry have also taken to Twitter to pay their tributes to the phenomenal actor.
See their tweets below
Deeply saddened to learn that #Irffan Khan passed away this morning. Gone too soon .. such a powerful actor and how valiantly he fought back the cancer. Its a big loss not only to his family but to the entire film industry. RIP
— Azmi Shabana (@AzmiShabana) April 29, 2020
Too soon to leave @irrfank Ji. Your work always left me in awe. You’re one of the finest actors I know, I wish you stayed longer. You deserved more time. Strength to the family at this time.
— Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) April 29, 2020
A grateful fan of #IrrfanKhan here. Gone too soon. When he is on screen, you can’t take your eyes off of him. He lives on in his films. pic.twitter.com/aA9RAjsxSl
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) April 29, 2020
For your daily dose of tech, lifestyle and trending content, make sure to follow Plat4om on Twitter @Plat4omLive, on Instagram @Plat4om, on LinkedIn at Plat4om, and on Facebook at Plat4om. You can also email us at info@plat4om.com. Finally, don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel HERE.