This Wednesday marks Irrfan Khan's death anniversary. The legendary actor died on April 29, 2020, because of a colon infection after a prolonged battle with cancer. Irrfan is someone who dissociated himself from the star culture in Hindi cinema. He preferred people to regard him as an actor rather than as a major movie star. However, as compared to some of the actors he has often been mentioned alongside, such as KK Menon, to name one, he did attain a form of stardom, although it was a tad unlike what A-listers, such as the three Khans of Hindi cinema, experienced.
Around Irrfan Khan's death anniversary, an old video where the actor talks about his legacy is going viral. In the clip, he is asked about how he would like to be remembered. In response, the actor said, "I swear, I have no idea about it, and I never think about it. And I don't give a damn."
It has been seen as a fitting tribute to one of Hindi cinema's most iconic actors who often went about his work quietly. While Irrfan remained humble and grounded about his legacy, he undoubtedly left a big impression not only on Indian cinema but world cinema. Beyond his memorable performances in commercial and independent Hindi cinema, Irrfan is known for his roles in films such as The Namesake, A mighty Heart, Slumdog Millionaire, The Amazing Spiderman, and Life of Pi. Once, he shared screen space with Tom Hanks in 2016's Inferno. Back then, Hanks said that he found Irrfan "the coolest guy in the room" and admitted that he once did a "pale imitation" of his Inferno co-star's onscreen persona (as quoted by The Hindustan Times).
Irrfan's films such as Maqbool and The Lunchbox gained international attention through film festivals and digital platforms.
