There are actors, and then there is Irrfan Khan. 

One of the finest artists of Indian cinema, Irrfan’s performances have left an indelible impact on the lives of those who’ve witnessed his magic on screen, earning him love and admiration around the globe.

He has been honoured with a National Film Award, an Asian Film Award, and six Filmfare Awards. In 2011, he was awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian honour.

The legendary artist, who passed away after a long battle with cancer in April 2020, would have turned 55 today. 

Also Read | Irrfan Khan was in complete ‘awe’ of Dilip Kumar

In an interview with Pinkvilla, his wife, Sutapa Sikdar, remembered him and his passion for his work, “I knew this man had not come to try acting as just an alternate profession or because of the full scholarship, he had come there for passion, which hung around him like a halo.”

While we need no reason to revisit Irrfan’s legacy, his birth anniversary calls for an occasion to honour him for what he dedicated his life to, his art. 

Also Read | ‘They told me it was time’: Sutapa Sikdar recalls the final moment with Irrfan Khan in hospital

1. Paan Singh Tomar

This 2012 biography, directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia, tracks the life of a national level athlete, who went on to become a decoit after the murder of his mother. This movie has Irrfan at his finest, winning him a National Award for his performance. 

2. Maqbool 

Vishal Bhardwaj’s Maqbool  (inspired by Bard’s Macbeth) played a significant role in helping carve out a niche for Irrfan in Bollywood. It made the audience aware of a cinema that goes beyond the mainstream song-dance entertainer and focuses on storytelling and stellar performances. 

3. Piku

This heartwarming film, starring Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, and Irrfan Khan, gives you all the feels. Irrfan’s grasp of the character, his understanding of the nuances, and his portrayal of a middle-aged, frustrated, moderately cynical man who makes you laugh with subtle exchanges, is nothing short of excellent. 

4. The Lunchbox

Irrfan’s performance in this film as a widower sharing a beautiful bond with a woman through a lunchbox that accidentally gets delivered to him, garnered him wide critical acclaim, internationally as well as within the country. 

5. Hindi Medium

One of his most commercially successful movies, ‘Hindi Medium’ tracked the life of parents trying to get their child in a reputed English-medium school, while not being well-versed in the language themselves. The film is a stark commentary on cultural divide and English as a status symbol, delivered in the clark of wit and satire.