Irrfan Khan's the Most Iconic Movie Characters in Bollywood

He lived with Jazbaa and died with one. You will no more see his uncanny smile or the moving emotions of his nasheeli eyes (as if he were drunk) but will remember always. The world was not ready for the loss of a star that shone subtly abut washed us all with his charm. His style was unique and he delivered all the beautiful and the complex characters with equal panache and effortlessness for over 30 years.

We related to his consumed by ambition titular character Maqbool as much as his portrayal of the simple Saajan Fernandes of The Lunchbox. Here's remembering few of his iconic roles and appreciating once again the phenomenal actor in Irrfan Khan.

Miyaan Maqbool as Maqbool

Everyone knows the heady concoction of cunning and contradictions that Macbeth is. The adaptation of the Shakespearean drama in Hindi cinema not only created a genre of its own, but also allowed Irrfan Khan to really explore his potential as an actor. It is not easy to understand and make others understand a character that does not understand himself. Yet effortless and flawless acting is one of the best portrayal of the character- a study of evil with a conscience.

The Lunchbox as Saajan Fernandes

It should be simple playing a widower accountant who is about to retire, right? Not really, if you really want to master all his nuances, his unspoken emotions and thoughts that hang in his mind, never to be addressed. But Irrfan Khan brought Saajan Fernandez to life, his unspoken desires to little happiness on the prospect of finding love again and his internal conflicts.

Piku as Rana Chaudhary

This movie saw the actor in all his uncanny charm, with quick retorts and witty rejoinders. He integrated Rana Chaudhary into Piku not as a vehicle that takes Piku and her father the last leg of their journey together but as a character through whom they explore their relationship and find deeper levels. No regular feat for any actor, let alone an actor who must stand his grounds amidst big names like Amitabh Bachchan and Deepika Padukone.

Slumdog Millionaire as Police Inspector

A small yet iconic role played by Irrfan Khan saw the actor in all his glory, standing his grounds among names big and small, letting his work speak for itself. This Oscar winning movie turned out to be an important landmark in the actor's career, propelling his stardom to new heights, not just in the country but throughout the world.

The Namesake as Ashoke Ganguli

Based off the Pulitzer prize winning novel by the same name, Irrfan Khan was impeccable in his portrayal of the simple Bengali NRI, mastering over everything from body language to the accent. He is almost chameleonic in transforming Ashoke over 40 odd years from his youth to his death. Every nuance, every gesture was Ashoke Ganguli, embodied in Irrfan Khan's body. The spoke of it all, the love for his wife, the confused understanding of his children, the fear of not being able to do justice by his family and so much more.

Haider as Roohdaar

Irrfan Khan is undaunted in his fierce depiction of Roohdaar and all his separatist ideologies. He is instrumental in the titular character's circle of life and the path he takes. Roohdaar comes across as convincing, his underlying cunning never missed by the audience.

Paan Singh Tomar as Paan Singh Tomar

The convincing depiction of the titular character established Irrfan Khan as as actor par excellence and won him the National Film Awards for the Best Actor. He did justice to all the elements that make up the character- the rebel, the athlete, the subedar, the father, the brother. He ably justifies the pent up emotions of the character and its transformation from a gold medallist athlete to a dacoit and murderer.

Talvar as Ashwin Kumar

Irrfan Khan's portrayal of Ashwin Kumar inspired by true characters involved in the investigation of gruesome murders and an endlessly botched up investigation was anything but botched up. He plays the contempt, the frustrations and the power play with conviction. The several shades of the same person looks seamless, always remaining true to Ashwin Kumar.

Angreezi Medium as Champak Bansal

How can we miss out on the unassuming and quirky Champak Bansal, the final role of Irrfan Khan before he bid us adieu. He is lovable as the father struggling to accept his daughter growing up, struggling with a language he does not understand, struggling to behave in the conceited ways to society, that his small-town life has not taught him. As goes the saying, Irrfan Khan shall live in all our hearts as the flawless performer who breathed life into all his characters, big small or larger than life itself. We shall remember him through his works and through his words, while we hope and pray, wherever the actor is, he has found peace.