Irrfan Khan’s Pakistani co-star Adnan Siddiqui has revealed the last words uttered by the legendary Indian actor to him when he went to meet him in London in 2018. Adnan also shared three untold stories including one where late Irrfan’s inability to act in a James Bond film prompted the Life of Pi actor to aspire for Hollywood. Adnan also shared an incident showing the perfectionist side of late Irrfan Khan, whose tragic death last week at the age of 53 stunned Bollywood and his fans globally. Adnan, who worked alongside legendary Irrfan in A Mighty Heart, said that Irrfan’s death had left him ‘disturbed and gutted.’
In a profound note, Adnan wrote, “Disturbed and gutted!! A fine soul gone too soon. I had the honour of first meeting Irrfan as a co-star on the sets of ‘A Mighty Heart.’ For one of the scenes after learning his lines I saw him doing the scene again and again which left me puzzled.”
Adnan said that he could not stop himself from approaching Irrfan to ask, “Irrfan Sahab ye kya kar rahe hain aap? (What are you doing?) He replied, ‘we’re both playing CID agents which means we’ll be showing our ID cards everywhere. I’m practicising the scene so I don’t look clumsy while showing the ID card.’ And that was the first time I realised what a fine actor he was.”
Adnan said that they became good ‘friends on the sets and used to hang out together after the shoot.’ Sharing another incident, Adnan said, “I remember for another scene, he wanted to know a word in Urdu used commonly in Pakistan and he asked me. He was a great actor but didn’t shy away from learning and perfecting his art.”
According to Adnan, Irrfan told him once why he was determined to act in a Hollywood movie. It was because he continued, Irrfan had once got a role ‘of an extra actor in the James Bond series Octopussy, which was shot in India.’
“But because they (Irrfan and his friends) cycled to the set, they were late and the shoot was over. He told me that since then he wanted to do a Hollywood movie. Our careers in Hollywood started together, but he proved his mettle and conquered the fort,” Adnan added.
Adnan said that he met the legendary actor in 2018 for the last time when Irrfan looked positive. His last words, according to the Pakistani actor, were, “Adnan, I’ll be fine very soon and I’ll be back. InshAllah!”
Adnan was recently in the news after he sent an apology to the families of Irrfan Khan and Sridevi for being part of a show where a disgraceful Pakistani TV anchor made fun of their deaths.
Irrfan died in Mumbai last week after battling cancer for two years.