Exclusive! "Irrfan Khan was very evolved, not only as an actor but as a human being", says Sohum Shah as he remembers his 'Talvar' co-star

Today marks the one month to Irrfan Khan passing away. Sohum Shah of ‘Tumbbad’ fame is one of the few actors who got the opportunity to work with Irrfan Khan in his career. In an exclusive interview with ETimes, Sohum shares his memories of working with Irrfan in ‘Talvar’, reveals his real personality off-camera and more. Excerpts from the interview…

You worked with him in Meghna Gulzar’s ‘Talvar’. How was your experience working with Irrfan ?

I had a great experience working with him. He was the most chilled-out actor on the set. He used to give suggestions between the shots so I got to learn a lot from him. He was a different person behind the camera. And once the camera starts rolling, he used to switch into his character. We used to talk a lot on the set about a lot of things. He was very well aware of world cinema and politics.

What have you learned from Irrfan? The one thing that I have learnt from him is to live in the moment. He used to be relaxed and not worry or stress out on things. He thought that once you are relaxed you are in control of the situation. He had amazing control over his mind.

The other day, I was reading the letter that his wife Sutapa Sikdar wrote on social media. When she asked her kids what they learnt from their dad, one said that he learnt that one should surrender to the uncertainties in life and believe in your fate. That I believe is a great thing to say and do. Surrendering is one of the most important aspects of being an actor. His other son said that he learnt that one should control one’s mind and it should not be the other way around. This shows how much Irrfan sir has taught his young kids.

When did you first meet him?

I met Irrfan Khan sir at ‘The Lunch Box’ party for the first time. I was a huge fan of his work. Even he had seen my ‘Ship of Theseus’ so he showered praise on me. I asked him how he acts with such ease and what are his methods, to which he replied saying, ‘I am still searching for it, everybody is’. Despite being one of the most talented and versatile actors, he was still in search of methods to make himself better. He was very evolved, not only as an actor but as a human being too.

How did you get to know about his demise?

I got to know about his demise through a friend and then in some time it was all over the news. I was really saddened by the news. He has not kept well for a long time. However, he was shooting for ‘Angrezi Medium’ so somewhere there was hope that he will be fine and that he will live.

I have worked with him and have spent time with him. I looked up to him as an actor. I have learnt a lot from him. It is a great loss for the film industry.

Aanand Gandhi, in an interview, revealed that Irrfan Khan was considered for ‘Tumbbad’. Did you know about this?
Yes, but he was considered for some other character in the film. If he would have been a part of the film, I would have been very happy. I would have got an opportunity to work with him twice. But unfortunately, it did not happen. Not only this film, but it would also have been a treat to watch him do any film.

What can you tell us about his off-screen personality?
Not many know this but he was a fun person to hang out with. He used to fly kites and whenever he used to do, he used to call me up and ask me to join. He was a great friend too.

Were you in touch with him while he was in the hospital?
I was not in touch with him. I last met him at the airport some time back. I was in touch with him during and after we wrapped up ‘Talvar’. He used to call me whenever he used to come to Jaipur. I used to live in Jaipur and travel to Mumbai.

What are your favourite Irrfan Khan films ?
It is always a treat to watch Irrfan Khan on screen. He has a unique personality that he brings to the forefront on screen. I am in awe of the fact that he never changed his style, he held on to it right from the start and that is what made him unique. Apart from this, I love his ‘Paan Singh Tomar’ and ‘Namesake’- these are my favourite Irrfan Khan movies.