The actor’s wife, Sutapa Sikdar, is surprised that Babil was allowed to leave after a thermal check at the airport, no home quarantine was suggested
BOMBAY TIMES (March 20, 2020)

Yesterday, we had told you about Irrfan’s son Babil, who is studying in London, being unable to return home because of flight restrictions in the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak. His worried mother, Sutapa Sikdar, had taken to social media, seeking government’s intervention in the matter.

The family has finally heaved a sigh of relief with Babil reaching Mumbai in the early hours of Thursday. Sutapa was at the airport to receive him. Once again, she took to her social media account and wrote, “Thanks everyone for the prayers and wishes. Babil is back to India safely. Gratitude to all of you who offered help.”

She went on to add that her experience at the airport was deeply disturbing. Sutapa further wrote, “The flight was late over an hour. While I waited in the airport, I looked around and was aghast. Many had their masks like neck bands and all the hugs and kisses upon arrival made me swoon. I made such a fuss; I took two cars. I didn’t let my child sit in mine and didn’t hug him, was armed with my gloves and scarf so were both the drivers. In the airport, they did a thermal check and let him go. I was really surprised that at third stage in which India is, they did not suggest home quarantine. They made him fill a form with his phone number. I hope it’s not a formality. I will eagerly await for their call after couple of days to check on him. I felt stupid because I think my staff will be careless from now on and think I am mental. That when the govt is not thinking its dangerous, I am isolating my child in an empty flat (well equipped, though) for fourteen days. Because I had mugged up in childhood ‘saavdhani hati durghatana ghati’. Stay safe and take care at the cost of being called mental. And thanks for all the help! (sic)”
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Irrfan Khan's wife Sutapa tells mid-day how son Babil returned from UK amid COVID-19 outbreak, kept under self-quarantine for two weeks at their Madh Island residence
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; March 20, 2020)

It has been a frantic few days for Irrfan and wife Sutapa Sikdar, but last morning, the mother of two wore a broad smile as she welcomed son Babil at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai. Babil, who has been pursuing a bachelor's degree in film studies at the Westminster University in London, found himself stuck in the British capital as the United Kingdom braced for a partial lockdown while the Indian government issued travel restrictions amid the Coronavirus pandemic.

To bring attention to the plight of Babil and several other students in foreign countries, Sikdar, on March 17, had shared a post on Facebook that read, "As a mother, I am worried as hell, but I don't understand when the Indian government has been so good with other students, why [is] it not helping Indian students stuck in London? Let the students come back home, my earnest appeal to GoI. (sic)"

Her efforts bore fruit as Babil, 19, returned to India yesterday, and has since been quarantined at their Madh Island home. A source reveals, "Babil's flight was late by over an hour. After he was let out of the airport post the screening, Sutapa whisked him off to their Madh residence where he will be under self-quarantine for 14 days. They are taking the necessary precautions."

Talking to mid-day, Sikdar shares that the past few days have taken a toll on her emotionally. "We were panicking as we could not get in touch with the airlines' offices. It was a nightmare to book tickets to Mumbai. Thankfully, the British Airways helped Babil and we were told [on Wednesday] that he is flying back."

The relief in her voice is evident as she speaks about her elder son. "Thank God Babil has returned safely! [When in London], he was anxious but put on a brave front because he knew that I would be stressed otherwise. For now, we have kept him in home quarantine for 14 days. His classes will be held online."

Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; March 19, 2020

Among the many students who are studying at universities in other countries and are unable to make their way to India due to the coronavirus outbreak, is Irrfan and Sutapa Sikdar’s son, Babil. The youngster, who is studying in London, hasn’t been able to get on a flight due to the travel restrictions that have been imposed.

On her social media page, a worried Sutapa wrote, “Airport closure#indian students#stuckin#London! My son being one of them and what are we doing. While the virus is pointing towards us how nature is trying to tell us something, we are hoarding, escaping from hospitals and for such irresponsible people, those who would abide every test to keep others safe are suffering and are victims of fear. Me as a mother is worried as hell but I don’t understand when Indian government has been so good with other students why it’s not helping Indian students stuck in London. London is hot bed now but not worse then#wuhan. Let the students come back home my earnest #appealto#GOI (sic).”

Sutapa’s friends like actress Kunickaa Sickand, Kalpana Iyer and Dolly Ahluwalia Tewari were quick to offer help. While some of them offered to initiate discussions with the authorities, others offered to help her son find a place to stay.

Irrfan, who has been undergoing treatment for neuroendocrine tumour since 2018, says he is just counting his blessings; adds he is content to have made a ‘happy’ film like Angrezi Medium
Prashant Singh (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 6, 2020)

We really don’t need to underline the fact that he is one of the best Indian actors — as well as much loved — in recent times. Probably that’s why when in 2018, Irrfan revealed that he was diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumour, it sent shock waves through the industry and outside. The actor, who has been undergoing continuous treatment since then, has been largely away from the world of showbiz. Now though, he is set for a fresh tryst with the silver screen, with his next, Angrezi Medium. “I am not nervous. In fact, I am just happy and nothing else,” says the actor about his state of mind right now. Excerpts:

To start with, how is your health? And what’s your state of mind?
Honestly, I don’t know; I really don’t know. While some days are great, others are bad. Most of the time, I think I am cleaning the clutter away from noise.

In your trailer message for Angrezi Medium, you touched upon your fight against your illness and also gave a message about being ‘kind to each other’. Has the illness changed your entire perspective and outlook towards life?
I had become excessively busy (before falling ill), so much so that I almost missed (watching) my sons (Babil and Ayan) become young adults from little boys. I was running out of time all the time. Ironically now, I have kind of an idea what ‘running out of time’ actually means. So, I am just counting my blessings and thanking everyone who has prayed for me.

Talking of work, Angrezi Medium is up for release next to next week. Are you nervous or excited, considering you haven’t had a new film release for a while? Did you miss being on the sets all this while?
To be honest, all my anxiety has been exhausted with the roller-coaster ride of this disease. I am content that we have been able to make a happy film. So, the answer is: no, I am not nervous. I am just happy and nothing else.

What was it like working on the film? Your director, Homi Adajania said that you felt you have forgotten how to act when you first arrived on the sets. Did you take time to get into the ‘zone’?
Yes, Homi is absolutely right. That’s exactly what I felt but then, I intentionally kept it that way. I did not use any technique (of acting) which I had used earlier. I have approached acting very differently in Angrezi Medium. Now, you all should watch it, and tell me if it worked or not.

This film comes after the success of Hindi Medium. How was it like to get back into that space and does it help to have the same team again including the producer (Dinesh Vijan)?
I really like working with Dinoo (Dinesh Vijan). He has been rock solid and that’s (teaming up with him) a huge comfort zone for me.

In the trailer message, what came as really heartwarming was your message, ‘wait for me.’ How are you going about the future? Are you thinking about taking up other films?
I don’t know. Who knows about the future? Two years back, I was giving names of films that I had in the pipeline but then, what happened? So, I believe that whatever is in store for me will reveal itself. And it will be good so, I will wait for it.

Irrfan Khan reveals that his illness has brought the family even closer, explains how his upcoming release is different from Hindi Medium and flashbacks to unforgettable moments from his films
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 3, 2020)

In all these years, one never connected with Irrfan Khan with questions in mind. The conversations would be freewheeling; about life, living, learning, evolving, and along the way, we spoke about films, too.

But after an illness took him out of the country for treatment, one had to think of questions to touch base with him, and it felt like a challenge. So, I did the next best thing, I wrote him a letter, weaving some queries in and he responded to them, agreeing that interviews are about conversations. But, conveying a smile through an emoji, observed that “from where I stand every challenge challenges our creativity”.

After a year-and-a-half, he has a film, Angrezi Medium, coming up for release, produced by his Hindi Medium filmmaker, Dinesh Vijan. And while he hopes that everyone enjoys it, Irrfan is anticipating some “healthy criticism” as well. The film revolves around a father-daughter relationship, with the latter aspiring to go abroad for higher studies. Does Irrfan think it is important to give our children an education abroad, with reference to the film and his own sons, Babil and Ayan, in particular? One could picture him sitting across, frowning in concentration, as he mused, “Is it important? No. Is it crucial? No. It’s a very subjective thing… It depends on where your child’s passion lies. But it’s not imperative, for sure.”

He shared that his older son wanted to major in films and had got into the London (Film) School without his help. “Since it is Asif Kapadia’s (his The Warrior director) alma mater, I thought it will do Babil good. But if one is going (to study abroad) just because it’s cool, I think it’s a waste of time,” Irrfan pointed out with the practicality one has come to associate with him, saying his son will definitely like to come back. “He misses India very much. He is slogging hard and he is not a celebrity child in the institute abroad, which works for me,” he added.

It’s been over two years since we met, the last interaction being just before Hindi Medium and I wondered if he remembered ‘Roshomilla’, which is how he has always addressed me. “I cannot forget Roshomilla, but chances are I will call you rosogolla by mistake again because that’s what my Bengali wife (Sutapa Sikdar) is feeding me. Since I am unwell, whenever I have a sweet craving, she insists it’s healthy since rosogollas are made of chhena (ricotta cheese) and not mawa (dry milk),” he wrote back, and I could hear him guffaw across the miles separating us from him.

On the subject of Hindi Medium, he stated that the film had been accepted well as it struck a chord with the audience, more so with parents, some of whose dreams had died because they could not put their kids into their dream schools. “Our country does not pay for our education, it’s not free, so education from a good school is like a medal for most middle-class Indians and the admission process is traumatic,” Irrfan pointed out.

In the film, his Raj Batra, a nouveauriche boutique owner desperate to get his six-year-old daughter Pia into the school of his wife’s choice, takes the extreme step of moving with his family to a poorer neighbourhood to avail of the Right to Education (RTE) quota for the underprivileged. In response to my query of how much like Batra he is, Irrfan shared that for him personally, it doesn’t matter if someone is from Welhams or Stephens. “I sent my kids to an alternative school with hardly any facilities in the formative years. I have met hundreds of successful children from government schools, and very mediocre, highly nonstimulated children from private schools. So, essentially, it’s about the individual, the child. If someone has to bloom, they will,”

Irrfan asserted, going on to emphasise that as a person he would never do what Raj did in Hindi Medium. “But then, I am not him and he is not me. That’s the fun in acting! How to find the essence even if you are not the same. I am not as street-smart as the character, but I know people like him exist, so, I could relate to him.”

He went on to explain the process of getting into character, saying it’s enjoyable to be somebody who shares some of your thoughts and vice versa. “The character evolves from its relatability to the actor. Then, boom, it’s there, for the actor to follow,” he stated, adding that he is also not an extrovert, like Angrezi Medium’s Champak Bansal. “But I am a father and with that small essence, I went ahead. The character happened and was played by Irrfan.”

There are other ways in which the two films are different even though both take the discussion on education forward in a light-hearted way. “I had a wife (Saba Qamar) in Hindi Medium, so we were parents to our daughter Pia (Dishita Sehgal) while in Angrezi Medium I am a single parent, so it’s a bigger responsibility. And it’s special because one doesn’t want to f*** up in bringing up their child… You’re always scared of being judged by the departed partner. The child is not only your child, but also the memory of your wife. You want the best for your child, but at the same time, you don’t want to let her go away as she is your only surviving bond,” he reasoned, adding that the kids, Pia (Hindi Medium) and Tarika (Radhika Madan) are also in different age groups so pose a different set of problems. “Actually, in Hindi Medium the problem is more related to parents while in Angrezi Medium, the concern for the child is the bigger crisis. The most interesting part was that my character, Champak, wants to play the mother of the child in a patriarchal society. This has its own unique problems.”

It’s been almost two years since Irrfan left for treatment for neuroendocrine tumour. I wondered how he looked at life today and the people he was with, in particular his wife Sutapa and their sons. “It’s been a roller-coaster ride, a memorable one. Happy moments were underlined because of the inherent uncertainty. We cried a little and laughed a lot. We became one huge body,” he shared.

He went on to write that he has become less judgemental as a person because things have stopped mattering so much. “You screen out noises …You are selective about what you want to filter in. I have gone through tremendous anxiety but have somehow managed to control it, then, let go. You are playing hopscotch all the time,” Irrfan confided. However, the extraordinary situation, he admitted, has made his boys extraordinary in their own way. “And the best part is that I’ve had all the time literally to see them evolve… A crucial time for a teenager, like the younger one. The older one isn’t a teenager anymore.” One could see him smiling, the smile of a father, as he relayed this.

And his wife? “What to say about Sutapa? She is there 24/7. She has evolved in care-giving and if I get to live, I want to live for her. She is the reason for me to keep at it still,” he stated emotionally.

One had missed these introspective conversations with him and promises that the next time he is in Mumbai, one would drop by with the fish curry he had craved for once. “I wish we would one day have the fish curry and you would say ‘Bon Appetit.’ Amen to that.” Irrfan signed off.


Irrfan Khan with younger son Ayan; with wife Sutapa and elder son Babil (right)
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Irrfan describes his Angrezi Medium family

Radhika Madan (His daughter Tarika Bansal): A hard worker

Kareena Kapoor (Naina, an undercover cop in London): DIVA! I wish she does more roles to exploit her potential

Dimple Kapadia (Kareena’s mother): Nostalgia, warmth...

Deepak Dobriyal (His brother Ghasiteram Bansal): Jugalbandi


Director Homi Adajania: Outrageous fun!

Producer Dinesh Vijan: A rare learner

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MOMENTS & MEMORIES WITH IRRFAN

Without creation of a moment there is no story. Yet with so many stories, so many films, it’s very difficult to pinpoint a single one. But it’s the creation of these moments which drew me to acting...


THE WARRIOR (2001): There was this moment in the film where I was holding a sword, ready to kill a girl, when I look at her locket and a time-machine starts working for me… Something happens… I am in the desert, I have the sword in my hand, I drop it and in the blazing sunlight it has specks of snow… That for me was a great moment.


MAQBOOL (2003): The scene in the hospital where my character Maqbool watches Nimmi (Tabu) from outside. Since my face is against the glass, my sweat drips from it and it looks like the glass is crying. I will never forget the cue Vishal saab (director Vishal Bharadwaj) gave me for the scene, “Irrfan saab, iss shot mein daaku se Balmiki bante dekhna hai.”


THE NAMESAKE (2007): My character Ashoke Ganguli goes with his family to a beach. I walk with his son Gogol, down a thin strip of land, at the end of which there is only the ocean. And as we stand there, I realise that we have forgotten to bring the camera and tell my son, “Remember that we went to a place where there was nowhere left to go…” That was something special for me… I enjoy when a sentence is not contextual to that situation only.


PAAN SINGH TOMAR (2010): That moment when my character, Paan Singh, says, “Ee ka jawab kaun dego?” In the context of what had made him a dacoit—the situation which led him to be what he had become—it was not just a question but a passage of time. A summation of brutality, casteism etc… That was one moment I will always remember.

QISSA (2013): The scene where my character, a Sikh Punjabi named Umber Singh, is leaving his home during the Partition, with his wife and his three daughters. They break everything, poison the well, then, lock up the house and leave. That was writing excellence from (writer-director) Anup Singh.

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."

Irrfan Khan opens up about his latest Hollywood encounter
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 13, 2016)


At an event, Tom Hanks when quizzed on his Inferno co-star quipped, “Here’s what I hate about Irrfan Khan… I always think I’m the coolest guy in the room, and everybody’s hanging on to every word I say, and everybody’s a little intimidated to be in my presence. And then Irrfan Khan walks into the room. And he’s the coolest guy in the room.” And our desi hero retorted, tongue-in-cheek, “Tom gets the ‘cool’ quotient right, that’s why he could say this. And by saying it, he’s become the coolest actor in the world.”

Irrfan's always been a fan of the Forrest Gump, The Terminal and Sully actor but after working with him on this screen adaptation of Dan Brown's 2013 novel, now loves him as a human being too. “Tom's charming, inspiring and carries a warm heart. He's the most generous actor I've met with an energy which makes everyone around him comfortable. It was a great experience working with someone who is so secure of himself as an actor,” he raved.

Tom and his Oscar-winning director, Ron Howard, go back to 1989 and the comic thriller The ’Burbs while Inferno is only Irrfan’s first film with them. Yet going by the camaraderie the trio share, it seems they've known each other all their lives. He attributes this to 'innocent kid' Ron who carries his excitement to the sets and makes everyone feel a part of the collaboration. "He got everyone together a month before the shoot began and as we chatted new ties were forged. It was like Tom and Ron owned this house which we entered as guests. They welcomed us warmly and while enjoying their hospitality, we began to feel we owned the house too,” he marvelled.

Irrfan has a rival at home now in his 18-year-old son who accompanied Irrfan on the Budapest schedule and to Singapore and the dude in a hat had Tom confessing that Irrfan is cool but his son is cooler. Does Babil want to be an actor too? “That’s for him to decide, we don't discuss such things. Babil has a mind of his own and the freedom to choose what he wants to do,” he said.

Inferno, a sequel to The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons, touches upon the threat of a biological plague created by a brilliant geneticist and Dante fanatic to cause sterility in one-third of humans thereby reducing the world’s population, citing the Doomsday Argument. Irrfan who read the novel when he was offered the film liked the fact that it juxtaposed a serious concern for our planet against a historical mystery thriller, making it central to the plot.

"The way the human race is multiplying is alarming and that we are not even aware of it bothers me even more. Ron's tried to make the complicated book simpler for audience," he revealed, pointing out that one of the film’s posters underlines that Inferno is not just a movie but a prophecy. "Even million dollar Hollywood franchises, reflect what is happening in the world and addresses scenarios which could become a nightmare for humanity.”

The film has opened to mixed reviews with the Guardian panning it (Say hello to the 10th circle of hell, their headline reads) and the Hollywood Reporter more generous (It’s moderately evolved fast food, more culturally nutritious than many other action films, but still highly calorific and packed wit tasty trans fats). Irrfan who reads reviews sometimes believes it’s one of best films in the Robert Langdom series with a great buzz around the world. He’s come a long way since Mira Nair’s Salaam Bombay, how does he feel when he looks back on his journey? “I seldom look back, maybe when I retire... Every industry tries to stereotype you, the challenge for an actor is to chart his own path choosing with roles that excite him and is a surprise for audience too,” reasoned Irrfan who chose to play Harry ‘Provost’ Sims who heads a Consortium because the job was so unique it was hard to research and that made the character intriguing.

BOMBAY TIMES (June 18, 2016)

The father-son duo played tourists in Singapore to promote Irrfan's American thriller
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 17, 2016)


Irrfan Khan whose hectic work schedule between India and abroad has made it difficult for him to spend quality time with his sons, Babil and Ayan, took his 18-year-old son along when he flew to Singapore for the first round of promotions for his American thriller, Inferno. The actor's co-star, Tom Hanks, and director Ron Howard hung out with the father-son duo.

"Irrfan made sure that Babil had a great time, taking him sight-seeing. They went around Gardens by the Bay, a nature park spread across 101 hectares of reclaimed land in central Singapore, clicking pictures," informs a source close to the actor. His wife Sutapa laughingly revealed that the father still doesn't have a fancy camera like his son. They also went shopping on Orchard Road, visited the ArtScience Museum which Babil loved, and offered prayers at a Buddhist temple, a Chinese temple and a mosque in China Town.

Undoubtedly, the highpoint of Babil's trip was hobnobbing with his father's A-list Hollywood co-star Hanks whom he'd met earlier during the Inferno's Budapest schedule. Hanks remembered the teenager who looked like a dude in his hat! "In fact, Tom even said in an interview that Irrfan is cool but his son tops him," the source reveals.

During this trip the Inferno makers joined hands with the team of Paul Fieg's Ghostbusters for a charity gala to auction posters from both the films. "It was followed by a party which saw Melissa McCarthy, who plays one of the Ghostbusters in the all-female line-up, in attendance," informs the source.

Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; June 16, 2016)

Beads of sweat rolled down Tom Hanks’ neck, Irrfan decided to keep it cool with a man bun while director Ron Howard wore a cap for cover as they kicked off promotions of their upcoming film in Singapore on Wednesday night. The sultry weather makes the country appear to be sitting on an inferno, which ironically matches the title of the film based on Dan Brown’s bestseller.

Fans flocked to the Art and Science Museum at the Marina Bay lit up by a giant ‘Inferno’ balloon as the stars walked the red carpet. Hanks, as expected, got the loudest applause as he stopped for selfies and autographs. “So what do you want me to do? Take a selfie? Here, let me do it for you,” he said, much to the delight of the crowd.

Talking about his Inferno experience, Hanks said, “We are all friends working together. What is special for me is that the places where we have shot are not just backgrounds; whether it was Rome or Florence, we went deep into the place’s history and that is what makes it extraordinary.”

Irrfan had his elder son, Baabil, accompany him on the red carpet. The youngster wore a hat and multiple beaded bracelets on his wrist. He helped fans take snapshots with his dad. The crowd kept referring to him as the Life Of Pi (2012) and Jurassic Park (2015) star. He stated, “This is a multi-layered thriller. There’s a fast paced mystery at one level and history on the other.” They later attended a charity event.

Subhash K Jha (DNA; May 21, 2016)

Irrfan’s younger son Ayan wrote a letter to the media inviting them for the trailer launch of Madaari.

Says Irrfan proudly, “It was my marketing team’s idea. We wrote something for him. But when my son Ayan read what we had in mind, he scrapped the entire content and re-wrote the letter himself. Today’s kids know their minds and how to exercise their options.”

So do Irrfan’s sons want to follow in their father’ footsteps? “I am not putting any kind of pressure on my children. They can be actors if they like. Or they can choose whichever career they want. But today’s kids either want to be a popstar like Justin Bieber or they want to be star footballers. You see, children today are exposed to international artistes. They all listen to international music and imbibe a kind of cosmopolitanism in their attitude from very young which is very hard for a parent to understand, let alone control.”

Khan says the biggest challenge he faces is to bring up his two sons Babil and Ayan with the correct values. “But the problem is, how do we define what is correct for our children? Today’s kids are exposed to the entire world through the internet,” says Irrfan.

Rather than stop his sons from gaining access to information Irrfan has given them the freedom to pick and choose what they would like to. “I can’t stop my sons for searching, asking, and seeking answers. It’s up to them to decide to use how much of what they imbibe.”