My worst fear is succumbing to stardom: Irrfan Khan
Irrfan Khan, one of the finest Indian actors who also made his appearance in a number of international films, passed away on Wednesday. The effortless actor made all his characters very distinct and close to the heart through his quixotic performances. There was an outpouring of deep mourning by celebrities and fans across borders at the actor’s demise.
Notably, besides his Bollywood and Hollywood roles, the actor earned a place in Bangladeshi fans’ hearts for acting in the Bangla film ‘Doob’, made by Mustafa Sarwar Farooki.
In memory of Irrfan Khan, Prothom Alo has published excerpts of an interview of his, taken in Kolkata by Ador Rahman in 2017:
Q :
You have been in the industry for three decades now?
Not really. I only started acting in 1995. I have no idea where people find three decades!
Q :
Okay, so tell us about your two decades of acting then. What were your two best and worst moments in this span of time?
The best thing about this career was discovering myself every moment. I tried my best to present that newly discovered ‘me’ before the audience. My worst fear is succumbing to stardom. That is the moment an artiste loses his ‘self’. If an actor is more affected by what others say than his own thoughts, that may ruin his performance.
Q :
There were times when you used to long for good scripts. The situation has changed now. Do you still yearn for fine scripts?
I will never get over the craving for good scripts, I believe. I still long for that. A good actor never stops longing for good scripts. The desire lives on till our death.
Q :
When you first came in the industry, Bollywood was being ruled by handsome stars and hunks like Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan and Salman Khan. Did you ever think you could make it as a hero in the industry?
Acrually I never compared myself to anyone. I believe, one can make his place anywhere with enough talent. It is like cricket. If a team contains two batsmen and two bowlers, it does not necessarily mean any other good batsman or bowler is not welcome. Your performance will determine your position in the team.
Q :
What was your first Job?
I used to teach children as a tutor. I wanted to buy a bicycle to go college, but could not afford it. So I started tuition.
Q :
What was your family’s reaction when you received a scholarship from the National School of Drama?
No one in the family seemed very happy at the time. Everyone has a perception that acting and being unemployed are the same. I continued my studies in NSD though. I had a Bangladeshi classmate there. His name was Imdadur Rahman. I did my first project for diploma production with him. Also, I acted in the play ‘The Dumb Waiter’ by Harold Pinter at the time which was directed by Imdadur. Imdad was awarded the best director for the venture.
Q :
Which modern actor inspires you?
There are many. My favourite is Joaquin Phoenix.
Q :
Is there any Bengali movie or filmmaker that you find influencing?
I don’t know much about Bengali movies, but there are many Bengali filmmakers who inspire me a lot. One of them is Ritwik Ghatak. His life, ideology and film-making inspire me. Among the contemporary Bengali filmmakers, I like Shoojit Sircar’s work. I love poetry a lot. Poems by Kazi Nazrul Islam are among my favourites.
*The interview, published in Prothom Alo print edition, has been rewritten in English by Farjana Liakat