Famous actor Irrfan Khan tragically passed away at the age of 53 years old this week.
Khan’s career was synonymous for bridging the gap between the South Asian and Hollywood movie industries.
Here, we recall five of his more important and memorable roles.
The Amazing Spider-Man, 2012
The turn of the century edition of the franchise had doctor Rajit Ratha, who was played by Khan. He was interested in taking the role at the start, but his sons’ excitement about it prompted him to go for it.
Life of Pi, 2012
In this fantastical take on the book, Khan played the adult version of Piscine Molitor Patel (Pi). This movie really enhanced the reputation of computer-generated imagery and pretty much set the precedent for the future. Marketed as the next Avatar, it’s arguable whether it achieved such lofty heights in the hearts and heads of fans and critics.
Jurassic World, 2015
He really got his teeth stuck into the role of Simon Masrani – the chief executive officer of the Masrani Global Corporation and founder of two of Jurassic World. In a lot of way, Masrani’s role galvanised the film as a whole, even if it didn’t add the chapter value, per se.
The Jungle Book, 2015
Just his voice was in this one, as the animated classic received a reworking for new fans and old alike. Khan was the voice of Baloo – that bubbly and fun bear thousands came to know and love over the years.
Puzzle, 2018
One of Khan’s last movies, Puzzle was an intriguing plot centred around the relationship between a couple fans of puzzles. Khan played Robert, who was somewhat renowned for invention – and deeply appreciated the intricacies of building puzzles. The move had a rather sad ending.
Fitting farewells
Famed filmmaker Shoojit Sircar was among the plethora of colleagues who paid tribute to the life and times of Khan: “My dear friend Irrfan. You fought and fought and fought. I will always be proud of you,” Sircar wrote on Twitter.
Actress Priyanka Chopra concurred: “Your talent forged the way for so many in so many avenues. You inspired so many of us. You will truly be missed. Condolences to the family.”
