The final gifts: Two Irrfan Khan movies yet to release
The whole of India witnessed an inconsolable loss as one of our most celebrated actors, Irrfan Khan bid us farewell, a little too early. Now that the maverick has left us, we, as fans, would hold onto whatever of his talent we can still adore. In what might comfort you, let's tell you that two of Irrfan Khan's films are yet to hit theaters.
While many believe that Homi Adajania's Angrezi Medium was Irrfan's last film, fortunately, that is not the case. Apno Se Bewafai, a family entertainer, starring Irrfan in the lead, was filmed before he was diagnosed with a tumor. However, it could not be released due to a lack of funds. But the good news is that the movie's director expects to release it soon after the lockdown.
The film was earlier set to release on April 2, however, it got halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, according to a report in BoxOfficeWorldwide.com, the film's director, Prakash Bhalekar has said the movie can hit theaters once the lockdown ends. "I guess the lockdown in Maharashtra is going to be extended till 18th May. Maybe (we'll release) after that," the director said.
Another film that will release in Irrfan's absence is Anup Singh's The Song of Scorpions. Based in Jaisalmer, the film tells the story of a scorpion singer (a person who can counter poison of a scorpion, according to ancient myth). The movie stars French singer/actor Golshifteh Farahani as the scorpion singer, veteran actor Waheeda Rehman as her grandmother, and Irrfan as a camel trader.
While The Song of Scorpions had its world premiere at the 70th Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland, it has not had a theatrical release yet. Talking about Irrfan, Anup, who previously directed the actor in acclaimed 2013 movie Qissa, said, "I believe as an actor he (Irrfan) comes to a role in the same way that a refugee comes to a new country."
"Just like a refugee, Irrfan seeks to understand the complexities of the new circumstances and his relationship with it and his own growth within the new space. That is what makes him the immensely innovative actor that he is," the director added.
An actor par excellence and Bollywood's trailblazer in the West, Irrfan passed away on Wenesday in Mumbai, after battling the tumor for two years. He is survived by his wife, Sutapa Sikdar and two sons, Babil and Ayan. It has been a terrible week for the Indian film fraternity. Just a day after Irrfan's demise, veteran actor Rishi Kapoor succumbed to cancer.
