Filmmaker Shoojit Sircar shared a special bond with late actor Irrfan Khan. The two collaborated on the 2015 hit Piku apart from being close friends. Shoojit admired Irrfan’s act so much that he wrote the script of his film I Want to Talk while keeping the actor in mind.
The actor sadly passed away in April 2020 after a battle with neuroendocrine cancer. Shoojit has now opened up about the last days of Irrfan, revealing that he was constantly in touch with him, but the actor lost a mental battle to the illness.
Shoojit Sircar Reveals Irrfan Khan Lost Mental Battle to Cancer Before His Death
Shoojit Sircar recently had an interaction with ETimes where he talked about the inspiration behind his film I Want to Talk. The filmmaker was asked how he would react if he faced a health scare like the protagonist in his movie. He replied, “A friend of mine faced this situation but didn’t let it break him.”
He then opened up about Irrfan’s condition as he dealt with cancer. “When Irrfan was diagnosed with cancer, I spoke to him often. However, he couldn’t battle it mentally. My friend, on the other hand, didn’t surrender.”
Shoojit added that he was inspired to write the script after Irrfan’s death. “I decided to make this film after Irrfan passed for those who struggle mentally in such situations. It’s not about Irrfan specifically but about anyone facing a mental health challenge. My friend was given 100 days but has now lived 10,842 days.”
Shoojit Says He Isn’t Able to Overcome Irrfan’s Death
In another interview, Shoojit revealed that he still has not overcome the grief of losing Irrfan. He told India Today, “I still haven’t been able to overcome Irrfan’s death. There’s a lot of guilt, which completely takes over, and I don’t know how to solve it.”
He added that he wanted to work with Irrfan again after Piku, but that could not happen. “He was supposed to work on my film, but we couldn’t. I regularly talk to Babil and Sutapa. Babil is even working on our next production. It’s tough to replace him and reconcile that Irrfan is no longer there,” he concluded.
I Want to Talk was released in theaters on November 22nd, 2024, and has received rave reviews for its emotional narrative and performances.
