Irrfan Khan Used To Take Calls/Messages For Struggling Actors Who Had No Phones

Yesterday, someone on social media expressed how Irrfan Khan’s demise almost felt like a personal loss. I pondered upon it and realised how true it was! Accounts by several people revealed how grounded a man he was, despite being a successful and revered actor. That’s probably the reason why he wasn’t seen like an other-worldly figure. Instead, people saw him as someone of their own.

According to a report by News18, actor-director Bobby Parvez took to Facebook to share a beautiful memory he has of Irrfan Khan.

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Puppy seems to be a better poser #QaribQaribSinglle @par_vathy @zeestudiosofficial #animallover

A post shared by Irrfan (@irrfan) on Nov 2, 2017 at 11:53pm PDT

It was set in a time when not many people had mobile phones. Hence, struggling actors in Mumbai (then Bombay) had to leave e phone number written behind their pictures to directors hoping for a callback.

“It was almost twenty years back. I’d just gone to Bombay and was working as an assistant director. That was the time of no mobile phones or even if there were, they were prohibitively expensive. Hundreds of actors used to come and they all used to give, on back of their photos, a home telephone number and a reference name. One number hundreds of actors used to give, and that was Irrfan’s or Sutapa’s, his wife,” Bobby Parvez revealed.

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Something is on the way @oshointernational @osho_wisdomm #enlightenment #clebration #introspection

A post shared by Irrfan (@irrfan) on Jul 30, 2017 at 7:16am PDT

Irrfan Khan and his wife Sutapa ended up getting a ton of calls for callbacks. Irrfan would allegedly pick up the calls and “meticulously” take down the particulars of actors and which offices they were called to.

“I used to think who is this stupid Irrfan who takes messages for everyone! And mind you, he must have been receiving messages from tens of offices. One person was supposed to call him at night and he would pass on all the messages to him who would subsequently pass it along. And he did it for years till possibly mobiles became common. That was my first impression of Irrfan,” Parvez said.

Parvez also went on to mention what a die-hard cricket fan and a “passionate” cricketer Irrfan was who always appreciated a fair game.

“We, all of us actors, are still in unadulterated awe of his craft. He is the best. Irrfan, there would be nobody like you.”

Read Bobby Parvez’s full post here:

In addition to his legacy of beautiful films, let us all remember Irrfan Khan for his kindness, love, and empathy!