Irrfan Khan dies at the age of 53

Actor par excellence Irrfan Khan is no more. Irrfan lost his battle to cancer on Wednesday in Mumbai's Kokilaben Hospital where he had been hospitalised on Tuesday after his health. He was reportedly admitted in the ICU due to a colon infection.

Irrfan had taken a break from acting in 2018 when he was first diagnosed with rare cancer. Along with wife Sutapa, Irrfan had shifted base to London where he was undergoing treatment. He returned to India in 2019 to work in Homi Adajania's 'Angrezi Medium' which released earlier this year.

An official statement released by his family said, "I trust, I have surrendered”; These were the some of the many words that Irrfan expressed in a heartfelt note he wrote in 2018 opening up about his fight with cancer. And a man of few words and an actor of silent expressions with his deep eyes and his memorable actions on screen. It’s saddening that this day, we have to bring forward the news of him passing away. Irrfan was a strong soul, someone who fought till the very end and always inspired everyone who came close to him. After having been struck by lightning in 2018 with the news of a rare cancer, he took life soon after as it came and he fought the many battles that came with it. Surrounded by his love, his family for whom he most cared about, he left for heaven abode, leaving behind truly a legacy of his own. We all pray and hope that he is at peace. And to resonate and part with his words he had said, “As if I was tasting life for the first time, the magical side of it”.

An alumni of National School of Drama, Irrfan is one of the first Indian actor to have dabbled in a career in Hollywood. He starred in notable films like 'The Amazing Spider-Man', 'Life Of Pi', 'Slumdog Millionaire' and many more. He had made his debut in films in Mira Nair's 'Salaam Bombay' in 1988.

The actor is survived by his wife Sutapa Sikdar, and two sons Babil and Ayan.