Think Irrfan Khan, think unconventional characters and content-driven cinema. Beyond the fandom that the other Khans of Bollywood spur, he inspires a rare reverence as he effortlessly lends depth to the most marginal characters. You may forget the film but the character he essays stays with you. Be it the reticent Ashoke Ganguli of The Namesake, the guilt-ridden Miya of Maqbool, the stubborn Umber Singh of Qissa or the amiable Monty of Life in a Metro, Irrfan is the outlier that Bollywood and Indian cinema deserves.
Irrfan has also worked with giants of international cinema like Ang Lee and Danny Boyle. But of late, he seems to have found a comfort zone. His trajectory seems to be swerving after Riteish Batra’s The Lunchbox. Romantic characters are apparently capturing his imagination. But he’s no run-of-the-mill Romeo. He continues to bring nuance and heft to the archetype of the ‘Romantic Bollywood Hero’. It also a takes secure actor like Irrfan to appear alongside fresh female leads who don’t play second fiddle to him. Here’s a roundup of the promising pairings – the skilled actresses that have shared or are set to share the spotlight with Irrfan.
Mithila Palkar in Karwaan
Famed as the cup song girl, Mithila has garnered a delirious fan following in the digital world with her performance in the web series, Little Things. Though we are not sure about their exact relationship on screen in the road movie, Karwaan, Mithila’s cheery spontaneity and Irrfan’s enigmatic subtlety could make for a curious combination. What’s more, it’s not just Mithila’s first Bollywood film in a lead role but also Dulquer Salmaan’s debut in this industry. A heady cocktail awaits!
Parvathy in Qarib Qarib Singlle
It seems fitting that the versatile Malayalam actor and the Kerala State Best Actress Film Award winner, Parvathy debut in a Bollywood film opposite Irrfan. The solid twosome can boast of a seasoned sass. Qarib Qarib Singlle exudes the vibe of a breezy romance almost akin to Something’s Gotta Give starring Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton. Opposites attract. Opposites set out on a journey and possibly fall in love.
Golshifteh Farahani in The Songs of Scorpions
A folk tale of twisted love and revenge, about a scorpion singer from the desert of Rajasthan and a tenacious camel rider. The former is played by Iranian actress and exile, Golshifteh Farahani who last appeared in world cinema stalwart Asghar Farhadi’s, About Elly and who is the first Iranian actress to appear in a Hollywood film since the 1979 revolution (Ridley Scotts’ Body of Lies). This pairing is like a battle of the equals then, what with both of them being rebels in their own ways.
Saba Qamar in Hindi Medium
She may not be well-known in India but the Pakistani actor Saba Qamar has appeared in Pakistani TV shows opposite the likes of Fawad Khan. Her readiness to act as a mother on screen was one of the reasons cited by director Saket Chaudhary for casting her. But we can’t agree more that her act as the sassy Punjabi girl next-door is pitch-perfect and her companionship with Irrfan immensely convincing. It’s the pairing that makes the film work despite its many flaws.
Nimrat Kaur in The Lunchbox
It is the understated romance between the aging, widowed office clerk Saajan (Irrfan Khan) and an unhappy housewife in The Lunchbox that made people sit up and notice Nimrat Kaur, who had earlier appeared in advertisements and plays. Conveying the complex emotions of loneliness and frustration in an unfulfilling marriage requires massive talent and she holds her own opposite Irrfan.
We aren’t complaining about this turn in Irrfan Khan’s career, as long as he attempts to redefine the genre of Bollywood romance.
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