Irrfan Khan’s last Hindi film to release on 28 April

Actor Irrfan Khan’s last Hindi film The Song of Scorpions will release in cinemas on 28 April. Khan passed away after a prolonged battle with neuroendocrine tumour in April 2020.

Khan, who was the face of new-age Hindi cinema before mainstream Bollywood had woken up to it, is remembered for modestly budgeted smart films that didn’t cater to the lowest market denominator starting the mid-2000s. These included Haasil (2003), Maqbool (2004), Life...in a Metro (2007), Paan Singh Tomar (2011) and The Lunchbox (2013), that he worked in alongside popular international outings like The Warrior (2001), The Namesake (2007), Slumdog Millionaire and Life of Pi (2012).

Khan had been battling the tumour since 2018 when he sought extensive treatment in London. He returned in February 2019 to shoot comedy-drama Angrezi Medium. The film turned out to be not only his final silver screen outing but also the last theatrical release of the season for Indian audiences, its mid-March release in 2020 beating the coronavirus-induced lockdown by a whisker.

Khan had made his film debut with a small role in Mira Nair’s drama Salaam Bombay! (1988), which was followed by years of struggle. He acted in a few Film and Television Institute of India student films. After starring in the British film The Warrior (2001), he had his breakthrough with starring roles in the dramas Haasil (2003) and Maqbool (2004).

Khan is said to have come into his own playing nuanced grey characters in Haasil and Maqbool. A National Award followed for his portrayal of the bandit Paan Singh Tomar in the eponymous 2011 movie. Spotted for his versatility, he was picked for big-budget Hollywood spectaculars like The Amazing Spider-Man (2012), Jurassic World (2015) and Inferno (2016).

In 2011, Khan was awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian honour for his contribution to the field of arts.