Life of Pi' Actor Irrfan Khan Dies at 53
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THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020 10 Life of Pi’ actor Irrfan Khan dies at 53 Irrfan Khan with fellow-actor Patrick Stewart at the Dubai International Film Festival in 2017 (AFP) Irrfan Khan (right) with fellow actors Sanjay Dutt (left) and Kangana Ranaut Irrfan Khan poses with a statuette for Best Actor at the 2014 Asian Film Awards (AFP) (AFP) unmatched talent & a great in Bollywood are nice. Things AFP | Mumbai human being,” Kapoor said on are too compartmentalised in Twitter. Hollywood, and the system can cclaimed Indian actor “Thank you for enriching our be rigid.” Irrfan Khan, whose in- Cinema,” tweeted top filmmaker The father-of-two acted in al- Aternational movie career Karan Johar, who praised the most 100 films, winning awards included hits such as “Slumdog star for “raising the bar as an and the admiration of his peers Millionaire”, “Life of Pi” and artist”. for his nuanced performances. “The Amazing Spider-Man”, has Khan consciously sidestepped During the press promotions died aged 53, his publicist said traditional Bollywood tropes, for their film “Inferno” in 2016, yesterday. focusing on the subtleties of his Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks The Bollywood star, who was craft. reportedly described Khan as diagnosed with a neuroendo- An incredible talent” He was an inspiration This allowed him to carve out “the coolest guy in the room”. crine tumour in 2018, was admit- and “a gracious for everyone, a A thoughtful man a stellar career in Hollywood as But his life took a tragic turn ted to a Mumbai hospital earlier colleague” whose remarkable actor, who found beauty well, where he collaborated with in 2018, when he was diagnosed this week with a colon infection. death had left “a unmatched talent & a in the world around Oscar-winning directors such as with cancer. The news devas- “Irrfan was a strong soul, great human being him, even in pain Danny Boyle and Ang Lee and tated his fans and India’s film someone who fought till the very huge vacuum” in the appeared in the HBO show “In community. end and always inspired every- industry ANIL KAPOOR Treatment”. Khan took a sabbatical to one who came close to him,” his AMITABH BACHCHAN FILMMAKER COLIN TREVORROW Filmmaker Colin Trevor- seek treatment in London publicist said in a statement. row, who directed Khan in -- accompanied by his family Born in the Indian desert the 2015 blockbuster “Jurassic -- before returning to play a state of Rajasthan on January 7, found out about the cuts, he told cess that lay in wait, the 2001 Amitabh Bachchan and Deepika World”, described the actor as middle-aged father in “Angrezi 1967, Khan discovered an early India’s Open magazine. film racked up awards and won Padukone, and “The Lunchbox”, “a thoughtful man who found Medium”, his final film and a passion for acting and studied “It changed something within Khan praise -- including in In- in which he played a lonely ac- beauty in the world around him, follow-up to the 2017 hit “Hindi at the elite National School of me. I was prepared for anything dia, where a new generation of countant in love with a house- even in pain”. Medium”. Drama. after that,” he said. directors was eager to experi- wife. “In our last correspondence, He suffered a relapse in the But his training in Shake - Television roles followed, ment with fresh storylines. Bachchan led tributes to Khan he asked me to remember ‘the months leading up to the film’s speare and Chekhov did little along with a handful of bit parts on Wednesday, describing him wonderful aspects of our ex- release, however, forcing him to ease his entry into the Hindi in Bollywood, where produc- ‘Unmatched talent’ as “an incredible talent” and “a istence’ in the darkest of days,” back to Britain. film industry, which was largely ers routinely dismissed him as His drama school training gracious colleague” whose death Trevorrow tweeted. In an interview with the Mum- focused at the time on churning looking too unconventional to came in handy when he was had left “a huge vacuum” in the bai Mirror newspaper in March out formulaic song-and-dance play the lead. cast in “Maqbool” and “Haider” industry. ‘Roller-coaster ride’ 2020, he described life after the blockbusters. By the time British director -- contemporary Hindi adapta- Khan’s “Slumdog Millionaire” In an interview in 2015, Khan diagnosis as “a roller-coaster Even as he landed a role in Asif Kapadia cast him as a mer- tions of “Macbeth” and “Ham- co-star Anil Kapoor said he was said Western audiences “appre- ride, a memorable one”. 1988’s “Salaam Bombay” -- di- cenary in “The Warrior”, he was let”. “indescribably saddened” by the ciate the elements and layers you “Happy moments were un- rected by first-timer Mira Nair -- ready to quit acting, frustrated But he also charmed audienc- news. bring to the character”. derlined because of the inherent his part was slashed to a cameo. over the direction of his career. es in lighter fare such as “Piku”, “He was an inspiration for But he added: “The informal- uncertainty. We cried a little and He sobbed for hours when he But, in a sign of the global suc- featuring Bollywood superstars everyone, a remarkable actor, ity and personal connections laughed a lot,” he said. Oscars suspend movie theater rule due to coronavirus Los Angeles “Until further notice, and for order to remain eligible. atrical qualifying requirements rules, allowing films that had ovies that skip the big the 93rd Awards year only, films The Academy, seen as the will return. planned “a bona fide theatrical Mscreen will be allowed to that had a previously planned apex body of the Hollywood But films released at theaters release” to compete even if the contend for Oscars this year, the theatrical release but are initial- film industry, insisted that its in major cities outside Los An- release was later scrapped. Academy said Tuesday in a sig- ly made available on a commer- commitment to viewing “the geles will also become eligible. Other major award shows nificant rule change forced by cial streaming... platform may magic of movies” at a theater is Under other new rules agreed contacted by AFP at the time the coronavirus pandemic. qualify,” the Academy said in a “unchanged and unwavering.” by governors in a Tuesday Zoom said it was too early to decide Traditionally the Academy of statement. “Nonetheless, the historically video call meeting, sound mixing on changes. Motion Picture Arts and Scienc- Debate has raged in recent tragic COVID-19 pandemic neces- and sound editing Oscars will be Major US movie theaters say es requires at least a seven-day years over Oscar contenders sitates this temporary exception merged. they do not plan on reopening run in Los Angeles theaters for produced by streaming giants to our awards eligibility rules,” Allowances will be made for until the summer, despite Geor- movies to be eligible for Holly- such as Netflix, including last added President David Rubin scrapped film festivals that serve bodies have been scrambling gia authorizing cinemas to re- wood’s biggest prize. year’s “The Irishman” and 2018’s and CEO Dawn Hudson. as qualifying events for movies to adapt to the closure of theat- sume screenings on Monday, and But picture houses in Ameri- “Roma.” Once theaters reopen, the in certain categories. ers and postponement of major Texas planning to follow suit. ca’s second city have been closed Until now, the films have been Academy will set a date from With the pandemic threat- titles. The 93rd Oscars will still take since mid-March, with no date shown at theaters for brief win- which the rule change will no ening to wreak havoc on Holly- Last month the Golden Globes place on February 28, 2021 as set for them to reopen. dows before moving online, in longer apply, and standard the- wood’s award season, industry became the first to relax entry planned, the Academy said..