Irrfan Khan Death Anniversary: When His Wife Sutapa Revealed 'Death Had Become Like His Playmate'

Irrfan Khan, a celebrated actor who has delivered outstanding performances in both Bollywood and Hollywood, passed away on April 29, 2020 after a prolonged battle with a neuroendocrine tumour. His wife Sutapa Sikdar shared that Irrfan had a deep curiosity about death and the afterlife, while his son Babil Khan disclosed that his father had predicted his own death to him.

During a deeply emotional interview with Film Companion, Sutapa, opened up about how her husband had a fascination with death, and how it became a subject of interest for him. She shared that despite coming from different religious backgrounds, Irrfan was curious about astrology and even created her kundali. His interest in the subject was not related to his career, but rather to gain insights into what might happen in the next life.

"He was very curious about death since the day we met. He comes from a Muslim family, I come from a Hindu background but I never had a natal chart. It’s all Irrfan; he made my kundali. His thing for astrology was not to know what will happen to his career but he was curious to know what will happen in the next life. He was immensely curious about it. He messaged Anup in London if he was drawing death towards him. Death had become like his playmate," she said.

 

 

 

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Sutapa further recounted how before going to the hospital, Irrfan had reassured her that everything was fine, despite not feeling well. She revealed he did not show any tantrums and his face did not have any signs of discomfort.

Also read: Irrfan Khan Birth Anniversary: Babil Khan Remembers Late Actor With Unseen Pics From Childhood

"He is telling me – 'nahi theek hai.' Without any tantrum or anger. His face didn't reveal any displeasure. I so clearly remember, sitting on the edge of the bed, he had become very weak. I made him wear his trousers, and combed his hair. He sat, held my hand, and got up. We hugged each other. There was not even a second of finality in it. No intuition of him was saying that I will not come back," she said.

"For him, I don't think he thought the time has come. He was reading books and planning films with Babil. He was planning every tree we will plant, which I am doing now. Everything. I don't know, I sometimes feel I guilty that I had so much faith which I instilled in him that 'kuch nahi hoga, main sambhal lungi'. He believed in me so much," she added.

Babil Khan also recounted the final moments he spent with his father and shared that he was present at the hospital in the last two days and noticed that Irrfan was losing consciousness. Irrfan looked at him, smiled, and said, "I am going to die." When Babil tried to reassure him by saying, "No, you are not," Irrfan smiled again and went back to sleep. "I really feel like he had surrendered completely. There are no words to achieve that kind of evolution I think," he said.

Irrfan is well known for his exceptional work in Indian Cinema including movies like Piku, The Lunchbox, Paan Singh Tomar, and Madaari. On the eve of his third death anniversary, director Anup Singh paid tribute to the late actor by releasing their long-delayed film, The Song of Scorpions.