Great actor Irrfan khan  passed away on April 29, at the age of 53 in Mumbai.

Born in Rajasthan into a family of Pathan ancestry, Irrfan Khan showed interest in acting from his childhood days. He did several stage performances in Jaipur. He completed his Master’s in Jaipur before joining National School of Drama (NSD) in Delhi in 1984 to study acting. Despite many saying that he ‘lacked the looks’ for a traditional Bollywood romantic lead, Irrfan was one of Indian cinema's finest actors. In a career spanning three decades, he starred in some of the most celebrated and remembered works of Indian and international cinema – Salaam Bombay! (his debut), Maqbool, The Namesake, Life in a Metro, Paan Singh Tomar, The Lunchbox, Haider, Piku, Qissa, Talvar, Hindi Medium, and more. His last film, Angrezi Medium.

He has succeeded not only in connecting with his audience at an intellectual level but emotionally too. A man of few words and an actor of silent expressions with his deep eyes and his memorable actions on screen.

He said “Failure is there to teach you something so that you can go beyond that. There is a lesson hidden in there.”

"Irrfan was a strong soul, someone who fought till the very end and always inspired everyone who came close to him. After having been struck by lightning in 2018 with the news of a rare cancer, he took life soon after as it came and he fought the many battles that came with it. Surrounded by his love, his family for whom he most cared about, he left for heaven abode, leaving behind truly a legacy of his own. We all pray and hope that he is at peace. And to resonate and part with his words he had said, 'As if I was tasting life for the first time, the magical side of it'," the statement added

A source close to the actor’s family says, “Irrfan wants son Ayan to experience the tranquility at the Gandhi ashram in Ahmedabad and give him an insight into Indian history. It was Irrfans idea that he and his son pay homage to Gandhiji on Father’s Day.” Confirming their travel to Sabarmati Ashram, Irrfan said, “Mahatma Gandhi was a common man who brought about   

such a huge change in society. I want to introduce my son to the father of the nation who is a representative of the extraordinary amongst ordinary men.”

Angelina joly  said - "I had the privilege of working with Irrfan Khan on the set of ‘A Mighty Heart.’  He stood out for his generosity as an artist, which made it a pleasure to work in any scene with him.”

"I remember the intensity of his commitment, and equally his smile. I send my condolences and my sympathy to his family, his friends, and all admirers of his work, in India and around the world," she added.

Rahul Gandhi tweeted -   "I'm sorry to hear about the passing of Irrfan Khan. A versatile and talented actor, he was a popular Indian brand ambassador on the global film and TV stage. He will be greatly missed. My condolences to his family, friends and fans at this time of grief."

 Ananya Bhattacharya,   journalist remembered him -

" It was late February in 2013. Irrfan, with his Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns team, was walking out of the studio, their TV interviews done. I was a few months old in the media. I waited for Irrfan to wrap up. He was done with interviews and was about to enter the car to leave. At this point, I asked him if he could speak for a while for our website. He made his driver and team wait. I recorded the conversation. Then realised the recording was missing. I nearly broke down. Irrfan knew he had to leave because his team was gesturing at him to hurry up. He told me, "Aap mera phone number le lijiye. That one conversation left me indebted to him forever.” The interview did happen later that evening. Irrfan did keep his promise. He called, we spoke, and the interview was done. That was Irrfan. To the point, warm, never the one to let his stardom come before his profession.

Meera nair remembers   -   While scouting  

talent for her 1988 feature Salaam Bombay!, she went  to the National School of Drama in Delhi where she spotted the then 18-year-old actor - "tall and gangly and angular like a praying mantis".

"And of course, he had this extraordinary face. He was only 18, but he still had a craggy face and those hooded eyes. The interesting thing was that he was very keenly focused. He was acutely observant and very open, not filled with any kind of big attitude,"   the director recalled during a telephonic conversation with the New York Times.