Actor Irrfan Khan's demise left us in pain and shock. For quite a long time, we were in disbelief. The thought of not seeing him again on the screen continues to hit us every single time. For most of us, it felt like a personal loss. Maybe this is why, residents of a Maharashtra village, Igatpuri named a locality after him. The actor helped the villagers on a number of occasions. He always stood by their side in the time of need and extended his support to the underprivileged families in every possible way. The villagers call him "guardian angel".
According to India Today report, the relation between Irrfan and Igatpuri began when the actor bought a plot of land in the village. After realising how deprived and marginalised the villagers are, the actor decided to help them in whatever ways he could. Irrfan had donated ambulance, computers, books, raincoats, sweaters for their kids. He would even send sweets for them on festivals. Hence, the villagers have renamed the area where his farmhouse is situated. Now the locality would be called 'Hero-chi-Wadi', which in Marathi translates into 'neighbourhood of a hero'.
Irrfan Khan breathed his last on April 29 at the age of 53. He was diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumour in 2018. In an official family statement after Irrfan's demise, the late actor's wife Sutapa Sikdar wrote: "How can I write this as a family statement when the whole world is taking it as a personal loss? How can I begin to feel alone when millions are grieving with us at the moment? I want to assure everyone that this is not a loss, it is a gain. It’s a gain of the things he taught us, and now we shall finally begin to truly implement it and evolve. Yet I want to try to fill in the things that people don’t already know. "
She continued, "It’s unbelievable for us but I would put it in Irrfan’s words, “it’s magical” whether he is there or not there, and that’s what he loved, he never loved one dimensional reality. The only thing I have a grudge against him is; he has spoiled me for life. His strive for perfection doesn’t let me settle for ordinary in any thing. There was a rhythm which he always saw in everything, even in cacophony and chaos, so I have learnt to sing and dance to the music of that rhythm, even with my tone-deaf voice and two left feet".
Besides Indian film fraternity, tribute poured in from Hollywood for Irrfan. The Alchemist writer Paulo Coelho and actor Angelina Jolie also remembered Irrfan Khan.
The late actor is survived by his wife Sutapa Sikdar and two sons- Babil and Ayan.
