Babil Khan Remembers Irrfan Khan With A Heartfelt Note: ‘Wish I Could Have One Last Dance With You’

Irrfan Khan, an actor par excellence, left a mark in the world of cinema. The actor, who passed away in April 2020, would have celebrated his 57th birthday this year. Irrfan made his film debut with a small role in Salaam Bombay. One of the most poignant aspects of Irrfan Khan’s legacy is the way he continues to be remembered by those closest to him, particularly his son, Babil Khan. In several interviews and public appearances, Babil has shared heartfelt anecdotes about his father, shedding light on the personal side of the legendary actor. And now, Babil penned another heartfelt note, recalling the best times with Irrfan Khan.

On Saturday, Babil Khan took to his Instagram handle and shared a very precious picture from his album of memories. It features Irrfan Khan and him holding fishing rods on a boat, as they looked in different directions. The caption read,”Nobody knew him like I did, nobody has known me like he did. It’s easy to say, to miss him, it’s easy. It’s easy to be cathartic and cry about losing him. It’s easy. Do you know what is hard? To remember the ecstasy in his voice when he would raise it in exaltation to scream “BABILUUUU!!!” every single time he’d see me.”

He further wrote, “To remember then, how painful it would be to lose him for the stretches of barren time when he would be away shooting. It is impossible to bear the memory of how his beard felt on my fingers when I would scratch his cheek as he read his script or how my fingertips would rest gently on his eyelids when he took a nap. His voice, was brilliantly deep, yet it evoked nothing but a gentle prayer from me, a prayer that could only rise from one’s within when an external force has calmed your existential jitters to stillness.”

“I wish I could have one last dance with you. “And to tell you, that without your lessons, I never would have survived.” I will look for you. I will find you again. Somewhere. Beyond,” the note concluded.

Irrfan Khan was among the finest actors Indian cinema has ever seen. A recipient of honours such as the National Film Award and Padma Shri, Irrfan began his acting journey with Mira Nair’s Salaam Bombay! (1988). He managed to establish himself as a favourite of the audiences with movies like Paan Singh Tomar, Hindi Medium and Piku. Irrfan died from complications of neuroendocrine cancer on April 29, 2020. His demise left a void in Indian cinema.