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Irrfan Khan has understood the true meaning of life and the importance of living after his health scare.
While recuperating from a neuroendocrine tumour, a rare illness, the actor said he was restless and wanted to be fine soon. He has now resolved to give his health top priority.
The 53-year-old, who is still under treatment, is taking baby steps back into the acting world.
He has been away from the big screen since the release of Karwaan in 2018, when he was diagnosed with the tumour.
He will be back on the silver screen with Angrezi Medium, a follow-up to his 2017 film Hindi Medium. The film is slated to release today.
Irrfan said he was not restless about getting back to work, but wanted to be fit and fine first. "No, work was never my anxiety," he said. "I was restless to be fine, to be comfortable with myself."
For the actor, the battle with the illness brought a new meaning to life. "Unnecessary worry vanished," he said. "We miss out on life thinking, 'Let this happen and then I will enjoy.' That never comes if you can't enjoy now," he said.
Asked if he plans to take it slow professionally, Irrfan said: "Life first."
In March 2018, the actor revealed that he had been diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumour and was going to the United Kingdom for treatment. He has been out of the spotlight since then - except for being spotted in a wheelchair at Mumbai airport and at the Lord's cricket ground in London.
Last year he returned to the set to shoot for Angrezi Medium. In the film, directed by Homi Adajania and produced by Dinesh Vijan, he plays a single father who is willing to go to bizarre lengths to make his daughter's dream come true.
Recalling the process of shooting, he said: "It was pleasant in warm Udaipur and it was warm in chilling London. This was a long schedule and I didn't know if I would be able to do it.
"But I took the plunge because I knew Dinoo (producer), Homi (director), Anil Mehta (cameraman) and Nakul Kamte (soundman).
"My takeaway from this? When life gives you lemons, you decide what to make of it."
Asked what the film means to him, the National Award-winning actor said: "Connecting back to reality. Being a father. The pleasure of letting go."
With projects like Paan Singh Tomar, Piku, Talvar, The Lunchbox, Maqbool and 7 Khoon Maaf, Irrfan has made a name for himself in Hindi cinema.
He has gradually established himself in the West, too, with roles in films such as The Namesake, Life of Pi, A Mighty Heart, Slumdog Millionaire, The Amazing Spider-Man, Inferno, and Jurassic World.
But there was a time in the 1990s when he was contemplating leaving showbiz.
British filmmaker Asif Kapadia's The Warrior in 2001 gave a much-needed fillip to his career.
From there on, there was no looking back.
Indo-Asian News Service
