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Irrfan Khan, an Indian actor who brought modern sensibility to recent blockbuster movies and had roles in Hollywood movies like “Life of Pi,” “The Namesake” and “Slumdog Millionaire,” died Wednesday at age 54.
The death, after a protracted battle with cancer, was confirmed by a spokesman who said Khan was surrounded by family members at the time.
“He fought in the many battles that arose with him,” the spokesperson said in a statement, referring to Khan’s diagnosis of rare cancer in 2018.
Irrfan was one of the first Indian actors to make a consistent mark on Western cinema, following in the footsteps of crusader pioneers such as Saeed Jaffrey, Roshan Seth, and Om Puri.
Born as Sahabzade Irfan Ali Khan in the western desert state of Rajasthan, to a family with no ties to film, the actor recalled in interviews that he and his siblings were not allowed to watch movies as children.
The only exception was when a visiting uncle took them to the theater.
“An incredible talent,” Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan said among the Twitter tributes that followed Khan’s death. “A friendly colleague. A prolific contributor to the world of cinema … left us too soon creating a great void.”
Another well-known director, Karan Johar, said: “Thank you for raising the bar as an artist … Thank you for enriching our cinema … We will miss you very much, Irrfan.”
– Reuters
