Irrfan Khan

Irrfan Khan (1967–2020) was an Indian actor known for understated, naturalistic performances in Hindi cinema and international films, including Life of Pi, The Lunchbox, and Piku.

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The Lunchbox: A 2013 Indian drama directed by Ritesh Batra about a mistaken lunchbox delivery that connects two strangers. Khan plays Saajan Fernandes, a lonely widower whose correspondence with Ila reshapes his daily life.
Asif Kapadia: A British filmmaker known for documentaries and feature films, including The Warrior. Kapadia cast Khan in the lead role that first brought him broad international notice.
National School of Drama: India’s national theatre training institution, based in New Delhi. Khan studied acting there before entering professional theatre and screen work.
Hindi cinema: The film industry that produces Hindi-language films, primarily in Mumbai. Khan became a prominent actor in Hindi cinema while also working internationally.
Method acting: An approach to acting that draws on an actor’s personal experience and sustained psychological preparation. Khan’s naturalistic screen presence is often distinguished from method acting’s specific training traditions.
Piku: A 2015 Hindi comedy-drama directed by Shoojit Sircar about a woman and her aging father. Khan plays Rana, the taxi-service owner who joins the family’s road journey.
Mira Nair: An Indian American filmmaker whose films include Salaam Bombay! and The Namesake. Nair directed Khan as Ashoke Ganguli in The Namesake.
Jaipur: The capital city of Rajasthan, India. Khan was born in Jaipur in 1967 and grew up in Rajasthan.
Indian parallel cinema: A movement in Indian filmmaking associated with realist, artistically independent films. Khan’s naturalistic performances connected mainstream roles with realist acting traditions.
Masala film: A popular Indian film form combining genres such as action, romance, comedy, and drama. Khan often took roles in quieter dramas rather than the spectacle-centered masala mode.