One of Irrfan Khan’s last films, The Song Of Scorpions, is set to finally release in India. It’s been a very long wait, and the leading man isn’t around to watch it. However, director Anup Singh is happy that the late actor’s film has found its way home.

“This is unimaginable; Irrfan is not with us. I am sure that he, in spirit, would be very happy to see the film getting the kind of release in India, that it is,” says Singh.

Also starring yesteryear actor Waheeda Rahman, the movie was completed in 2017 and did the rounds of film festivals for a year. It was released in Europe in 2019, and plans for an Indian release had to be stalled after the pandemic hit.

Singh adds, “It affected many films. Obviously, ours is not a masala movie. Theatres were closed for quite a while, and people were not going to the cinemas. At this moment, it seems that more and more people are ready to go to the cinema to see films. I am very grateful to my distributors in India. They have worked very hard; they stayed with the film for three years.”

Talking about Irrfan’s reaction to the movie not releasing in India back then, the filmmaker shares, “Irrfan had seen the film being released in Europe, and we got really good feedback. That made him very happy. It was his deepest desire that the film be released in India, especially when he started becoming sick. He wanted it to be released [soon]. I think he was quite sad that it wasn’t released at that time. But he understood that Covid had made it impossible.”

The portrayal of women in cinema and on web shows has undergone a sea change, but is that enough? Rasika Dugal, who has been a part of films Qissa, Hamid and Manto along with many web series, says, “Storytelling is transforming every day, and it’s heartening to see that not only are there more important parts for women, but they are also more nuanced. Scripts are exploring and celebrating femininity. Having a female protagonist helming a show or film is no longer just an act of tokenism. However, we still have a long way to go in the way we portray female desire. Sometimes, even the most well-written scripts end up with sexualised visuals. Possibly because of deeply-ingrained references. I feel, we find it hard to break away from those.”

The actress also makes a point about feminism. She says, “Feminism isn’t limited to a particular gender and, unfortunately, neither is patriarchy. Women can be patriarchal and men can be feminists. I have been very inspired by some of the people I have worked with — Anup Singh, Mira Nair, Richie Mehta and Nandita Das — for what they bring to their work and for the people they are. I am also hugely inspired by the women I grew up with — my grandmother, mother and aunts. They’re women who made very traditional choices, but lived with the consequences of their decisions with grace and dignity. Growing up, I don’t think I valued that enough. However, later I realised the strength and resilience it took to always be there for the people around you, and in a way, that did not compromise your self-respect even though sometimes that had to be negotiated. I will always have respect for that.”

“The strange thing is that I never really thought I would be writing a book about Irrfan,” director Anup Singh tells us during a telephonic interview. “But when someone close to you passes away, you are haunted by the memories, and painful ones at that.”

Singh is speaking of actor Irrfan Khan, who passed away in April 2020, after having struggled with a neuroendocrine tumour for three years. Cherished in India and internationally for his calm yet powerful performances in The Namesake, Piku, Paan Singh Tomar and The Lunchbox, he was an actor for all generations. When he died, many including his fans felt a personal loss.

Singh, who first met the actor in the ’90s, and has worked with him in Qissa (2013) and Songs Of Scorpions (2017), found a friend in Khan. “It’s his curiosity that led him along, as a man and actor,” says Singh, who is the author of Irrfan, Dialogues With The Wind (Copper Coin), a book he says he wrote to honour his friend, and remember him some more. 

Excerpts from the interview.

Irrfan had passed away, and the days kept passing, with a storm of memories. This was painful. I wanted to not remember, and silence it all. Let’s say, I was going for a walk, and there was a cloud in the sky, and its tail was moving away from it. I would feel that if Irrfan saw this, he would embody it in his body. If I went for a drive, and there was a gentle curve in the road, I would feel that Irrfan would appreciate it. We were going to work on a movie that was about dance, and I used to feel that may be Irrfan would use this curve in his body when we spoke about dance. I was unable to get over and past him.

It was in the 1990s, when I first met him, and we were doing something for television. I was in front of the front of the camera, working out a movement I wanted him to do. And I was humming. Then suddenly, I heard someone singing. It was Irrfan, watching me. When he did the shot, he was still singing the melody. He then told me, “Anup saab, now every time we work together, you have to give me a melody.” That was how we connected for the first time as actor-director.

This was a running thread, and I realised that I couldn’t run away from my memories. He was appearing [before me] all the time, there was no escape. Perhaps, there was a reason for this. Maybe he was saying that I had left something incomplete. So first, I wrote down the dance movie we were supposed to work on. As I did that, there was a calm that came over me. While I was writing the script, I kept a notebook, and whenever a memory came to me, I jotted it. I also used to sometimes share this on social media. On reading this, one of my friends called me and said, “My suggestion to you is, write more, remember more.”

He had an immense curiosity about everything. For example, if he saw a pebble, he would study it for hours, and hypothesize as to what gave the pebble its colour, where had it travelled to take on the shape it had now, and how many other hands had held it. What went with that was also an insecurity—his acting was full of pauses and hesitation, and that is something we all related to without understanding it, really. All this translated on to screen, and he became a part of us.

When I read it the first time, I realised it was full of grief. And that was not right. My memories were joyful, and we had so much fun together as well. I rewrote much of what I had written, and tried to bring to life the lilt that Irrfan carried within him. I got into rhythm. I hope that when the reader finishes the book, if only for a few days, he is able to live with Irrfan’s lilt.

Mostofa Sarwar Farooki’s Doob — No Bed of Roses, an Indo-Bangladesh venture, is being touted as an undiscovered gem from Irrfan’s repertoire. Released in 2017, the film, co-produced by the late actor, eventually won several awards and popular love, but not before the filmmaker went through his share of trolling and bullying for the references to a controversial and charismatic public figure in his country. The headlining political context of the time is irrelevant to fans and followers of Irrfan, who recently got to experience yet another elegant and nuanced performance from the actor as a man caught in a complex separation drama. In a chat, the director spoke about Irrfan’s preparation for the role, the language of silences and his eloquent eyes. Excerpts:

While writing the script, Irrfan’s eyes were always on my mind. But I had two problems here – the language barrier, as he was not a Bengali speaker. And I didn’t know how to get him on board. I came to know he was shooting a film with a friend and brother, Anup Singh. I reached out to him and waited a couple of weeks for an answer.

There was no response from him and I started reaching out to other Bengali speaking actors. I had almost finalised someone else when Anup da replied and connected me with Irrfan bhai. I sent him a link to my films Ant Story (Piprabidya) and Television. Irrfan liked Ant Story very much, and was on board to help our project.

Yeah, he did Mira Nair’s masterpiece The Namesake and his wife is also a Bengali with her roots in Dhaka. But the amount of Bengali dialogues in Doob was enormous and we were aware of the challenge. So we started conducting some sessions over video calls with him. We also sent out audio recordings for him to study. I am grateful to him for taking up such an incredible challenge to speak a language he doesn’t speak. I was aware of the amount of risk involved, but I needed to get those eyes to speak to the audience too. He was one of the rare actors who could evoke the most complex emotions with just a simple gaze. I believe this is clearly visible in our film.

Love and hate are just natural by-products of what we do as an artist. But I have grown old enough to remain unmoved by external praise or criticism. I don’t let it impact the way I want to make my next film. When I made my first film Bachelor, which was a romcom, it kind of shook the nation. The OTT release of Doob has given the audience the opportunity to look at the film with a calm and cool mind. Sometimes we need some time to cool off and look at something from a fresh perspective.

I have learnt a very relevant lesson during the controversy surrounding Doob. Films can be read differently now, thanks to social media. They can be read together with what you had posted on your social handles three years ago on a completely different topic. If it had gone against someone’s political or any other views, he would have waited with a dagger in the dark to crucify me once my film released. Not just people’s personal taste in cinema, these external factors are also coming into play. I wish I knew earlier that it’s a bad idea to share your opinion on social media.

Though predominantly known for her eclectic work in world cine ma, exiled Iranian actress, Golshifteh Farahani, who lives in France, was also seen in Hollywood blockbusters like Body Of Lies with Leonardo DiCaprio, Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales with Johnny Depp and Exodus: Gods And Kings with Christian Bale. The actress now shares screen space with powerhouse performer Irrfan in Anup Singh's The Song Of Scorpions. BT spoke to the actress on her forced exile by the Iranian government and her experience of working in India for the first time. Excerpts...

You started acting at the age of 14. In hindsight, do you think it was too early?
My father didn't want me to be an actress. After my first movie, he didn't talk to me for two months. My family wanted me to become a musician; they were investing in that strongly. My father couldn't see a future in acting and he was right to a certain extent. It is a tough job but doing cinema changed my life. It made me who I am today. Acting is an act of creation. Life is very short and acting takes you across the world. It allows you to live different characters and experience different moments. For me, it's a spiritual thing and a tool to elevate my soul. It's a sacred job, which is why I respect it so much. I don't care about the fame. If you hope for an easy life, acting is not your thing.

Your exile from Iran must have affected your family and you a lot. You faced massive flak for your nude photoshoot in a French magazine...
Of course, being away from your country feels like you are missing an arm or a leg, but somehow, you learn to cope with it. Iran is a big part of me and I am not the only one, who has faced this. This pain has given me power, wings and inspiration. It's positive I'd say. Besides, being a woman itself is very challenging. You have to fight every day - against objectification or harassment that runs much deeper than that, especially for the ones born in a specific geographical location. The exile has added to the pain but hopefully, things will get easier for the next generation.

Have your parents been able to cope with the situation?
My family faces a lot of difficulty from time to time because of the government in Iran but again, thankfully they are positive. The pressure on me and them was beyond our limitations, but they continue to be supportive of me and the path I've chosen. I always tell my father, 'You trained me for what I am today. We are part of a bigger picture'.

Indians are proud of actors like Irrfan, Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone, who are making their mark in Hollywood. On the contrary, it's tragic that you face the heat in your country for pushing the envelope and doing foreign films...
The irony is that people in Iran are proud of me but not the government. What's happening in Iran, in general, is tragic, but we have been through that for hundreds of years and hopefully, we will overcome it. Also, all the tragedies (dictatorship and fascist regime) have a bright side. It gives power to individuals to bring upon a change. If given a choice, I'd love to be born in Iran again.

Who influenced your life early on?
Mahatma Gandhi has always been an inspiration for so many of us. Even actors and people from all walks of life, who create ways to change things for better, are my inspiration.

What was it like to work with Irrfan and in India for the first time in The Song Of Scorpions?
Everyone in India knows how incredible Irrfan is as an actor. Since I worked with him for the first time, it was super exciting for me and a true pleasure, as he's a great co-star and also a great listener. Not to forget, very charming too. As far as the experience of working in India is concerned, it was like everything else here - special and unpredictable, pleasant and challenging. The crew is big. If there are three people for hair and makeup elsewhere, in India there would be 10! Overall, a memorable experience.

Were you familiar with Bollywood films before working with Irrfan?
I haven't really watched Bollywood films, except for one. I was amazed by Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-leela (2013). I hadn't seen anything like that before. I saw it at a festival. I hadn't seen so much beauty on screen. It was extremely fascinating. I am more familiar with independent Indian cinema like The Lunchbox and old movies of Raj Kapoor. My father loves him and that's what we watched as kids in Iran. I am not familiar with today's mainstream Bollywood films.

So people in Iran are acquainted with Indian films?
People across the world watch Indian films. They are very pleasant and exotic, not only the mainstream Bollywood films but also this new wave of Indian cinema. The young directors have an interesting vision and know what exactly defines India.

Dev Patel once said how people in India would speak to him in Hindi (during the shoot of Lion) assuming he is fluent in it because of his looks. Did that happen to you as well?
It did! Though my body language is not Indian, they would think I am Indian and can speak Hindi, when in reality, I was a total stranger (smiles). But yes, they would assume that I speak Hindi. It's a privilege to look a certain way that can help you pass off as anyone but it can also be a trap especially in American cinema, where one tends to get typecast easily. It becomes tough to come out of that. So it's a blessing and a trap. Mostly the latter as people don't want to imagine anything out of their comfort zone. Thus I am thankful to people like Anup, who could see me as an Rajasthani girl. So many people told him that 'we have so many great actresses here in India, why on earth would you cast a foreign actor and go through so many difficulties? I was grateful for his vision.

What gives you more joy? Doing a big budget film with a Hollywood movie star or a smaller film with a bigger heart?
When you work with actors like Leonardo DiCaprio, people are curious to know about them as they are not accessible. Working in world cinema is different from working in a big budget Hollywood film. I belong to independent cinema, as it is more vulnerable. It's more challenging. Watching blockbusters may give you instant pleasure but you don't remember much about them or their stories later on. I watched The Lunchbox once but I remember every scene. That's the magic of (independent) cinema.

A conversation with Irrfan Khan is always a revelation. On a Saturday afternoon, the actor surprises you by admitting that years ago, when he was doing TV, he was ready to get into films in any way possible and had Haasil not come along, he might have got sucked into big budget commercial cinema and ended up becoming a character actor. “Fortunately, Haasil was the right break and gave me direction and clarity. After that I never accepted a film flippantly. Yes, sometimes I did do commercial films like Thank You and Jazbaa but that was for survival and to see how effective I could be in that kind of a space. The focus always was on telling a story and redefining entertainment. Even an upcoming quirky comedy like Hindi Medium which can be described as 'commercial', is not fluffy entertainment,“ he asserts sipping his juice.

Prod him on whether he enjoyed these films and he nods but says he wouldn't repeat himself, not even for Anees Bazmee with whom he shares a great rapport, which is why he turned down the Aankhen sequel. “I get offered a lot of money to do these roles but to work just for money can be boring and pointless. Life throws up regular opportunities so there's no compulsion to accept everything even though I don't have another business as a back-up,“ he smiles.

But like other actors, he too has jumped into production? Irrfan reasons that he's not a prolific producer who makes films for money. “I make them to enhance the chances of a story like Madaari to be told, to which regular producers may not react,“ he maintains, going on to reveal that he's just completed a road movie produced by his wife, Sutapa Sikdar. “We travelled with this sunny romcom from Mumbai to Bikaner and Jaipur, through Rewari and Delhi to Rishikesh and Gangtok.“

He looks relaxed as he leans back on the settee but Irrfan's busy. On Sunday, he started another comedy, Abhinay Deo's Raita, with Pink girl Kriti Kulhari, and is in talks for an international indie film with a strong storyline. Meanwhile, he's wrapped up two other international films, The Song Of Scorpions, with Qissa director Anup Singh, and Bangladeshi director Mostofa Sarwar Farooki's No Bed Of Roses. “While doing Hollywood films I wanted to do indie projects with a presence in the European market. I began with The Lunchbox, followed it by Qissa and did The Song Of Scorpions just so I could collaborate with Anup again. He's a passionate filmmaker and his way of working challenges your sensibility, making you look at the craft differently,“ he says.

He's equally gung-ho about Mostofa, admitting he did No Bed Of Roses just for him, but not so much about Bangladesh, which has lost many of its 700 rivers and green landscape to the virus of unplanned development and whose locals don't enjoy freedom of speech. The film has been banned in the country. Could it be because it's reportedly based on Bangladeshi writer-filmmaker Humayun Ahmed, who divorced his wife of 27 years to marry an actress and his daughter's friend who's 33 years younger? “It's not based on anybody's life. It simply explores the complexity of a relationship without showing even a kiss. Yes, there is an age difference between the couple but they get married, even if they hadn't, that is no reason for a ban. I have faith in the system and I hope better sense prevails eventually,“ he sighs. Won't our Censor Board, which plays moral guardian at times, object to the content too? Irrfan doesn't think so. “Our CBFC behaves in strange ways at times and it's time we adopted a certification model but I don't see any objections in our country,“ he asserts.

For the actor every relationship is complex and few couples live happily ever after. “We're born with a longing to submerge in God and all our lives we look to complete ourselves. The closest way to do so is to be with another person. But man and woman are made of different chemicals so their chemistry can pull each other down subconsciously. That's why relationships get complicated,“ he intellectualizes.

How does a nomad like him stay married? “For me a relationship is helping each other evolve. If that stops, the relationship, neither romance nor nostalgia can sustain it,“ he avers, saying he's never dishonest in a relationship because that creates negativity. “If you have an affair, have the courage to acknowledge it. My only morality is that I cannot ever think of a friend's wife as another woman.“

Strong words but then Irrfan is emphatic in his views on most subjects including English and Hindi creating a class divide which is the subject of the upcoming Hindi Medium. While he himself went to a convent school because his mother wanted him to speak angrezi, Irrfan's been careful to give his two sons, Babil and Ayan, a taste of our culture even as they devoured American entertainment and borrowed from their lifestyle. “Babil's discovered his culture now, the way I have even though I've often been told by industry know-alls that unless you appear to come from an English-speaking background, you won't be taken seriously. That's the burden of colonisation we carry,“ he rues.

He's okay with people from different states bringing their mother tongue to a metro like Mumbai, but acquiring the language of another country and its psyche bothers him. “Majid Majidi can direct an entire film in India working with an interpreter but if a Hindustani does not know English, usey dekhne ka nazariya alag ho jata hai,“ he reflects. It's ironic that Irrfan, who's as desi as you can get, is a big name internationally while many of our anglicised actors remain confined to Bollywood. “That's because in Hollywood it's not about language, it's the variety and diversity you bring to a role,“ he reasons. “And while the West is alert by talent, Bollywood is threatened by it. Naseer saab (Naseeruddin Shah) is the one of those rare actors who celebrates talent, for others, they've to fit into the existing machinery. Anything new is frowned upon.“

Having a Pakistani co-star today is also frowned upon and Irrfan's Hindi Medium heroine Saba Qamar is from across the border. For someone who's moved seamlessly from Bollywood to indie films, big studio Hollywood to South-Asian cinema, how does it feel to be confined creatively by political diktats? “I wouldn't want to discuss politics but it baffles me how after your film is cleared by a government body, certain groups are allowed to disrespect law and order. Inn logon ko mudda banane ki chhut kyun di jaati hai?“ he questions, arguing that if a film runs in Pakistan or if their talent enrich the Indian film industry, it would only benefit us.

His apartment in Oshiwara has been mired in controversy following discrepancies by the builder. Is he in danger of losing it? “Such discrepancies exist in half the buildings in the city. The court has ordered that owners should not be harassed and the BMC should deal with the problem,“ he shrugs, pointing out that it took him two years to find an apartment which was spacious with high ceilings. “Given a choice I would never live in the city because our cities are not planned and the quality of life sucks. I miss my home in Madh Island which is now our weekend retreat. I had to move to the city because commuting was a problem. Traffic is a nightmare. I wish we at least had cycling tracks.“

Tisca Chopra's recent perform ances have garnered appreciation from all quarters. Her last two releases, Rahasya and Qissa, have survived market pressures to bring in both moolah and critical acclaim. Anup Singh, who directed the actress in Qissa, says, “Tisca is an exemplary artiste, who can convey emotions
effortlessly.“

Manish Gupta, who helmed Rahasya, finds the maturity of her craft more impressive.The actress is gearing up for seven releases this year. She is presently working on Ram Gopal Varma's upcoming psychological thriller Affair, where she is required to delve into the gritty character of a top-notch lawyer.

MUMBAI MIRROR (July 4, 2014)

Irrfan Khan and Tillotama Shome were named the best actors at the recently concluded International Film Festival of Queensland (IFFQ) in Australia, for their performances in Qissa. The movie also won the best director award for Geneva-based Anup Singh and Best Cinematography for Sebastian Edschmid. On Thursday, after announcing the multiple wins, Singh wrote on his Facebook page: “Irrfan Khan is with me in Geneva at the moment.We're celebrating and look forward to celebrating with the Qissa team soon!"

Qissa, a Punjabi movie, about a girl raised as a boy, has been screened at various movie galas including Toronto International Film Festival, Mumbai Film Festival, Abu Dhabi International Film Festival, International Film Festival Rotterdam and Curacao International Film Festival.

It is now being screened at the Munich International Film Festival in Germany and is scheduled to release in the country on July 10 in twenty screens in seventeen cities including Berlin, Frankfurt, and Stuttgard.
The film is likely to release in India in September this year.