Actor Irrfan succumbed to his illness in the summer of 2020 on April 29. Today, on the actor’s birth anniversary, his friends, family and close associates from the film industry are reminiscing the lovely times and memories shared with one of Indian cinema’s finest actors. Tigmanshu Dhulia, who had a special bond with the actor and had directed him in films like Haasil (2003) and Paan Singh Tomar (2012), talking to BT on an emotional note, says, “Both Irrfan and I don’t remember birthdays easily. Naa usko yaad rehta tha na mujhe. I don’t know how I feel and how I should feel right now. It’s weird. Aaj Irrfan ka birthday hai and he is not here. It feels strange that I’ll never be able to wish him again. There is a void that I realise will now be a part of our lives for as long as we live. The work we did together continues to have a life of its own. I feel so happy that we worked together on some of his most memorable works. It’s like a huge benchmark that he created and I measure everyone’s performance with that. I can never say goodbye to Irrfan.”

Irrfan and Tigmanshu met at the National School of Drama (NSD), where the actor was Tigmanshu’s senior. “I knew a boy studying at NSD and he had called me in to see a play, Fujiyama. That’s the first time I saw Irrfan and Sutapa Sikdar in action and was impressed with all that I saw. Since there weren’t too many students in the institution at that time, I had a chance to acquaint myself with Irrfan, who was a shy and introverted guy. He lived in one of the smallest rooms in one of those corners of the hostel building and wouldn’t share it with anyone. Sutapa was his girlfriend then. She was into direction and he was into acting. When I saw them display their craft, I was blown away with what I saw. Towards the end of his term in the institution, we had started bonding over our love for certain actors, cinema and storytellers,” recalls the filmmaker.

Tigmanshu and Irrfan worked together for the first time on a TV show called Hum Bambai Nahi Jayenge. After assisting Shekhar Kapur, Tigmanshu found himself in the director’s chair for this show. “A channel was being launched in 1993. This show was a collaboration, which included Irrfan, Saurabh Shukla and Manoj Bajpayee among others. That was the first time I directed Irrfan. He played a drama school teacher and the show was loosely based on the life we had seen at the NSD,” recalls the filmmaker, whose last directorial with Irrfan was Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns (2013). “Irrfan and I were talking about doing something together but he had a string of commitments to fulfil. By the time those were completed, Irrfan was diagnosed with the ailment. I guess what we had spoken about will stay deep inside my heart for as long as I breathe,” says Tigmanshu.

Subhash K Jha (DNA; November 1, 2017)

Recently, while promoting his new film Qarib Qarib Singlle, Irrfan spoke out against casting couch, on how he had been propositioned by both men and women earlier in his career. Now, Irrfan feels it was a mistake. “I shouldn’t have spoken about it. The occasion was not right. It seemed like I was promoting the film by talking about this (the Harvey Weinstein case). I spoke about many other things. But that was highlighted.”

Irrfan is in Kolkata promoting his Indo-Bangladesh co-production Doob: No Bed Of Roses directed by Mostofa Sarwar Faroki where Irrfan has spoken his own Bengali lines. “It’s my Bengali film, hence special. And yes, I’ve spoken my own Bangla lines. I must say it was a challenge because Bengalis are very particular about how their language is spoken. One wrong pronunciation and you’re doomed. But I have managed to do it.” Irrfan is very proud of Doob. “I play a filmmaker who falls in love with a girl who’s his daughter’s friend. It’s something I’ve never attempted before, hence interesting. It is always a pleasure to be part of an international project.”

The West has already reacted with lavish praise for Irrfan’s performance in Doob. But Irrfan is hopeful that films like these would get an audience in India. “What I like about current filmmaking trends in India is the diversity. There are so many kinds of films being made. Of course, the big-ticket blockbusters will always dominate the box office. But other kinds of films are also getting an audience. Earlier this year, my film Hindi Medium turned out to be the biggest success of the year so far in terms of investment and profits.”

Right now, Irrfan is traversing various cities to promote Qarib Qarib Singlle. “It is a bright rom-com and I like what it has to say about the courtship stage of a relationship when everything is bright and rosy and glowing between the couple. When both are in love with each other, they are on their best behaviour. It is the most hopeful stage of a relationship and according to me, the best part of a man-woman relationship. Later, possessiveness, jealousy, anxiety and insecurities creep into a relationship and cause its downfall.”

After Mira Nair, Irrfan got to work with another female director Tanuja Chandra in Qareeb Qareeb Singlle. Irrfan disagrees with the contention that women are more sensitive to the nuances of the man-woman relationship. “In Tigmanshu Dhulia’s Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns, the Bibi’s part was one of the best written for a female actor. I think filmmakers like Raj Khosla and Vijay Anand understood women as well as women directors, if not better. And it was a man (Shailendra) who wrote Kaaton Se Kheench Ke Yeh Aanchal for Waheeda Rehman in Guide. It is the ultimate anthem of women’s liberation.”

Speaking of Waheeda she is Irrfan’s co-star in Anup Singh’s Song Of Scorpions. And Irrfan just can’t stop raving. “It’s a dream come true to be in the same film as her. Though we don’t have any scenes together, I can feel her presence all the time.”

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