Can you imagine an Irrfan Khan film having its release quietly even as the world remembers him on his death anniversary? This is exactly what happened in the case of The Last Tenant, also starring Vidya Balan, which had its release on YouTube 25 years after its production. It is the only film to feature both actors together, and the collaboration happened before they became household names in India.
The Last Tenant had been a shelved film for around three decades, as director Sarthak Dasgupta lost its footage until recently. The director, who made his debut with the film, recently chanced upon a copy of it on VHS. A man with a degree each in engineering and business administration, Sarthak left his corporate job and turned to filmmaking.
Reminiscing about the journey of his debut film, Sarthak stated, "I was a novice with everything to learn. I hadn't assisted anyone. I hadn't been to film school. There was no Amazon to order books from. No YouTube to watch tutorials on. Fuelled by pure intuition, I had embarked on a journey, still unsure if it could become a career. Releasing this film now, as a tribute to Irrfan, makes it even more emotional. It feels like revisiting a forgotten dream."
On the other hand, Vidya Balan looked at the long-delayed release from a nostalgic lens. "It feels surreal to see The Last Tenant finally reach audiences. I was just starting out, trying to find my footing…Working with Irrfan was incredibly special then and that much more now considering its the only time i got to share screen space with him. This film is a beautiful reminder of where it all began for me, and I’m glad it is being shared as a tribute to him."
Released through The Salt Inc, Sarthak's company, the film has around 187,000 views on YouTube as of writing this.
