Babil and Irrfan at a film screening in the city
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; May 9, 2017)

He may only be 17, but Irrfan’s older son Babil is already gearing up to explore Bollywood with his father’s next, an untitled travelogue helmed by Tanuja Chandra.

In an exclusive chat with mid-day, the actor says, “I was trying to find something to keep him engaged. Co-incidentally, we kicked off Tanuja’s film, and I decided to bring him on board.” Irrfan’s son is working as a camera assistant on the project.

Although he wouldn’t say he’s particularly proud of his son so early on in the filming process, the boy’s antics have already surprised the actor. “We were shooting in Gangtok and I had to walk on a pavement for the part. But, we were unable to control the curious bystanders. Babil set up a dummy camera and started singing to distract the crowd. That helped us finish the shoot. It was an enriching experience to work with him.”

The actor, who will next be seen in Hindi Medium, doesn’t have a plan in place for his son. “I want to expose him to everything. Ultimately, it is up to him to figure out where his interest lies."