Born Sahabzade Irfan Ali Khan, in Jaipur, Rajasthan (NW India) January 7, 1967 to a Pashto-speaking Muslim family. Khan’s mother, Begum Khan, was from the Tonk Hakim family and his father, Jagirdar Khan, from the Khajuriya village near the Tonk district, ran a tire business.The Khan family name comes from Turkish and Mongol languages and mean “king”” or great leader. Descendants of Genghis Khan (13th century) in central Asia adopted Islam and became the Moghuls, who conquered India for several centuries until Brittish rule.Irfan was a skilled cricket player. In his early 20’s he was selected for the CK Nayudu Tournament (a stepping stone to First Class cricket). He did not turn up for the tournament owing to lack of funds and as a result he focused on acting.In 1984 he earned a scholarship to the National School of Acting in New Delhi.He was awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian honor for his contribution to the field of arts.His portrayal of Paan Singh Tomar in the acclaimed biographical sports drama Paan Singh Tomar (2011) won him the National Film Award for Best Actor and a Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor. His performance in the BAFTA Award nominated romance The Lunchbox (2013) earned him universal acclaim by the critics and audiences.Globally, Khan was in The Warrior (2001), The Namesake (2006), The Darjeeling Limited (2007), the Academy Award-winning film Slumdog Millionaire (2008), New York, I Love You (2009), The Amazing Spider-Man (2012), Life of Pi (2012), Jurassic World (2015) and Inferno (2016). As of 2017, his films have grossed $3.643 billion at the worldwide box office. In 2018, Khan was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumor.Khan got married to his wife Sutapa Sikdar, in 1995. She is a Hindu of the Brahmin caste. She is a movie producer, dialogue writer and screenwriter. Among her famous movies are Khamoshi: The Musical (Dialogue Writer, 1996), Supari (Dialogue Writer, 2003), Kahaani (Dialogue Writer, 2003), Madaari (Producer, 2016), Qarib Qarib Singlle (Producer, 2017)They have two kids: Ayaan Khan, Babil KhanUnlike most Indian film stars, Irrfan has been outspoken on religion. On Arnab Goswami’s talk show, he took on Muslim fundamentalists, including India’s Grand Imam. Irrfan Khan argued against “”transactional religious interaction”” and for “”personal religious discovery””…””to discover yourself, to find God””. Though he admits he is “”not an authority”” on the Koran and Islamic Holy scriptures he has bravely stood by his comments despite heavy criticism and even threats of violence. He’s aware of the dangers that his frank comments pose to him and his family. His wife commented, “”We are very proud of him.”””
Irrfan Khan
Movies
7 Khoon Maaf
After the passing of his Pondicherry-born mentor, Susanna, Mumbai-based Dr. Arun Kumar Singh narrates his story to his wife, Nalini. With photographs from an old album that he has never shared with anyone, he informs her as to how Susanna caught him stealing; got him to quit his job &…
Aaja Nachle
An unexpected phone call shakes Dia (Madhuri Dixit) out of her dance rehearsal in New York. Her teacher, her guru, is dying and she must return to India. The town where she grew up, the town where she learnt to live and to dance. Also the town she left on…
Dil Kabaddi
Colaba-based Rishi Sharma and his wife, Simi, hope their friends, Samit and Mita are pregnant when they get together, but instead they inform them that they are separating. Shocked at this news, they attempt to figure out what went wrong. Eventually Samit moves out and lives with Kaya, an Aerobics…
Kasoor
Shekar Saxena is arrested and charged with the murder of his wife, Priti Saxena. Shekar strongly contends that he is innocent, and that the murder was committed by someone else. His lawyer, Simran Bhargav, is sympathetic and not only believes him but also successfully defends and gets him acquitted. After…
Rog
Rog is the story of a troubled police officer who falls in love with a dead woman whose murder he is investigating. Maya Solomon mesmerizes all who surround her with her breathtaking beauty and sensuality. Thus giving more twists and turns in the game of life. Where by the police…
Krazzy 4
Employed with ‘We Care Rehabilitation Centre’ for the mentally challenged, wealthy Dr. Sonali Sanyal decides to take four patients, methodical Mukherjee; patriotic Gangadhar; Daboo who does not converse; and Raja, who has anger management issues, for an outing in her vehicle. Shortly thereafter hilarious chaos and panic will result at…
Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns
A crippled Aditya Pratap Singh trying to recover from his disability and betrayal of his wife Madhvi whose now and MLA.Madhvi and Aditya’s relationship is in shambles and she has turned alcoholic thou no knowledge of politics she gets her work done by seductress ways. Indrajeet Singh a prince has…
Angrezi Medium
Footpath
Poor Arjun is friendly with Shekhar and Raghu, as well as their sister named Sanjana. His friends help him avenge the untimely death of his dad, who was killed by rivals posing as workers. Years later, Arjun has grown up and is re-united with Shekhar and Raghu – who are…
Gunday
Based in Calcutta during its most unsettled times in the 1970s, the film deals with the inseparable life of Bikram and Bala. The story of 2 boys, boys who became refugees. Refugees who became gun couriers. Gun couriers who became coal bandits, coal bandits who became Calcutta’s most loved, most…
Haider
Vishal Bhardwaj’s adaptation of William Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’, Haider – a young man returns home to Kashmir on receiving news of his father’s disappearance. Not only does he learn that security forces have detained his father for harboring militants, but that his mother is in a relationship with his very own…
Bajirao Mastani
Bajirao 1, who fought over 41 major battles and many others, was reputed never to have lost a single one of them. Bajirao is described as “RANMARD” a man made of and for the battlefield. Bajirao said to his brother “Remember that night has nothing to do with sleep. It…
Mujhse Dosti Karoge
Mujhse Dosti Karoge Is An Award Winning Hindi Film, Starring Irrfan Khan. Gul Hasan, A Nine Year Old Boy Living In The Desert Of Rann Of Kutch, Aspires For A Better Life. His Dreams And Aspirations Take Him On A Journey That Blurs The Line Between Fantasy And Reality. The…
Thank You
Raj, Yogi and Vikram – best friends, business partners, serial womanizers and happily married! Happy, because their lovely wives have no clue that their husbands cheat on them with every pretty young thing they can lay their eyes on. This picture perfect world is rocked when Raj’s wife, Sanjana begins…
The Xpose
This is a dramatic chain of events in the most glamorous ,swinging era of Hindi films… the 1960s. It was a decade when film stars tasted success and carried their larger than life screen image on to real life with unbridled pomp and splendour. It was during this time that…
New York
NEW YORK is a contemporary story of friendship set against the larger than life backdrop of a city often described as the centre of the world. Omar (Neil Nitin Mukesh) has gone abroad for the first time in his life and soon enough he begins to see and love America…
Chamku
After witnessing his entire Bhagpur, Bihar-based family being killed by Thakur Mahendra Pratap Singh, a traumatized and injured Chandrama Singh wakes up in a hospital, is adopted by Naxal leader, Baba, and grows up to become one himself. Years later, after killing Ramji Mahto, the police kill Baba, while Chandrama…
One Two Three
Laxminarayan lives a poor lifestyle in Mumbai along with his widowed mother, Kanta, who wants him to be a successful gangster like Batlabhai, and would like him to kill a few people, make enough money, then get married to Khujli’s daughter, Meena. In order to fulfill his mother’s wish, Laxminarayan…
Paan Singh Tomar
Paan Singh Tomar is a Hindi-language film, based on the true story of a runner employed by the Army and has won Gold medal at Indian National Games but forced to become notorious baaghi. It is directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia.
Jazbaa
Anuradha Verma is a prominent criminal lawyer and a single mother who has never lost a case. One day her daughter Sanaya is kidnapped and no ransom is demanded, but instead the kidnapper contacts her and tells her that she has to defend a convicted felon to get her daughter…
Songs
Yeh Saali Zindagi
After Bade falls out of favor of Member of Parliament, Verma, he is arrested, held in a cell without any trial, and is humiliated and beaten everyday. His brother Chhotte and others conspire to secure his release by kidnapping Verma’s to-be son-in-law, Shyam Singhania. Things do not go exactly as…
Fun Facts
The first Bollywood actor to star in two films that won the Academy Award for Best Director (Slumdog Millionaire (2008) and Life of Pi (2012)). Both films also won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography and Best Original Score.
In two completely unconnected movies, Irrfan Khan speaks of 'Richard Parker': the tiger in Life of Pi (2012) and Spiderman's dad in The Amazing Spider-Man (2012).
Was signed for the film "Tezaab - Acid of Love"" but opted out.
Was signed for Deepa Mehta's Midnight Children
Quotes
I often visualized giving my mother this big black suitcase crammed with notes like those gangsters do in our masala flicks.
We're yet to make inroads into the West and the way Chinese cinema is made. I mean, long before Ang Lee's 'Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon', Bruce Lee had made an impact on the Western audience with his 'Enter The Dragon'. Indian cinema has yet to make that kind of impact. But we're getting there.