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Irrfan Khan’s son Babil: ‘My father gave his life trying to elevate art of acting in adverse conditions’

By Team Newsable  |  First Published Jul 9, 2020, 5:49 PM IST

Babil said his father Irrfan Khan constantly tried to challenge the existing ecosystem in the Hindi film industry but he would be defeated at the box office by hunks with six pack abs delivering formulaic dialogues


Actor Irrfan Khan's son Babil said he doesn't like the political debates around Sushant Singh Rajput's death but there is now a wind of change in cinema, something his father kept fighting for throughout his life.

Babil said his father constantly tried to challenge the existing ecosystem in the Hindi film industry but he would be defeated at the box office by hunks with six pack abs delivering formulaic dialogues.

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Irrfan passed away in April at the age of 54 following his battle with a rare form of cancer.

"My father gave his life trying to elevate the art of acting in the adverse conditions of noughties Bollywood and alas, for almost all of his journey, was defeated in the box office by hunks with six pack abs delivering theatrical one-liners and defying the laws of physics and reality," Babil wrote in a long Instagram post recalling his father's struggles.

"Photoshopped item songs, just blatant sexism and same-old conventional representations of patriarchy (and you must understand, to be defeated at the box office means that majority of the investment in Bollywood would be going to the winners, engulfing us in a vicious circle)," he added.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

You know one of the most important things my father taught me as a student of cinema? Before I went to film school, he warned me that I’ll have to prove my self as Bollywood is seldom respected in world cinema and at these moments I must inform about the indian cinema that’s beyond our controlled Bollywood. Unfortunately, it did happen. Bollywood was not respected, no awareness of 60’s - 90’s Indian cinema or credibility of opinion. There was literally one single lecture in the world cinema segment about indian cinema called ‘Bollywood and Beyond’, that too gone through in a class full of chuckles. it was tough to even get a sensible conversation about the real Indian cinema of Satyajit Ray and K.Asif going. You know why that is? Because we, as the Indian audience, refused to evolve. My father gave his life trying to elevate the art of acting in the adverse conditions of noughties Bollywood and alas, for almost all of his journey, was defeated in the box office by hunks with six pack abs delivering theatrical one-liners and defying the laws of physics and reality, photoshopped item songs, just blatant sexism and same-old conventional representations of patriarchy (and you must understand, to be defeated at the box office means that majority of the investment in Bollywood would be going to the winners, engulfing us in a vicious circle). Because we as an audience wanted that, we enjoyed it, all we sought was entertainment and safety of thought, so afraid to have our delicate illusion of reality shattered, so unaccepting of any shift in perception. All effort to explore the potential of cinema and its implications on humanity and existentialism was at best kept by the sidelines. Now there is a change, a new fragrance in the wind. A new youth, searching for a new meaning. We must stand our ground, not let this thirst for a deeper meaning be repressed again. A strange feeling beset when Kalki was trolled for looking like a boy when she cut her hair short, that is pure abolishment of potential. (Although I resent that Sushant’s demise has now become a fluster of political debates, but if a positive change is manifesting, in the way of the Taoist, we embrace it.)

A post shared by Babil Khan (@babil.i.k) on Jul 8, 2020 at 12:42am PDT

The cinema student said the mainstream films work because the audience want and enjoy movies that only offer entertainment.

"All we sought was entertainment and safety of thought, so afraid to have our delicate illusion of reality shattered, so unaccepting of any shift in perception.

"All effort to explore the potential of cinema and its implications on humanity and existentialism was at best kept by the sidelines," he added.

Recalling the days before he went to a film school in London, Babil said his father "warned" him that he would have to prove himself there as Bollywood is "seldom respected in world cinema".

He said Irrfan had asked him to inform others about Indian cinema that's beyond the control of Bollywood.

At his film school, the aspiring artist said, he found that Bollywood was not respected and people had no awareness of Indian cinema of the 1960s and 1990s.

"There was literally one single lecture in the world cinema segment about Indian cinema called 'Bollywood and Beyond', that too gone through in a class full of chuckles.

"It was tough to even get a sensible conversation about the real Indian cinema of Satyajit Ray and K Asif going. You know why that is? Because we, as the Indian audience, refused to evolve."

Babil said today he feels there is a change, a "new fragrance in the wind" with a new generation searching for meaning.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

It’s still not settling in. We’ve lost two very sincere people and sincerity is key in our spiritual journey, thus it comes as an unbelievable shock, the way Sushant has departed. Naturally, we have descended into pinning the blame on something or someone, which in itself is the most futile act because to find peace by playing the blame game is not honest peace, it is a fleeting reflection of a lie. I urge you to not blame someone or something for this incredibly unfortunate happening, I urge you to accept that life is filled with leg spin deliveries bouncing off spin with no apparent explanation or understanding provided, I urge you to stop investigating the reason because it only brings more despair to the people intimately suffering the loss. Instead we must celebrate the evolution of these sincere men and let their wisdom manifest in our own journeys in some way, hoping to keep little lanterns of their memories ignited in our sensitive souls. I’m saying stand up for what’s right without using Sushant’s demise as an excuse, if you want to rebel against nepotism, do so, but don’t use Sushant as a reason to why you’re doing so now. Stand up for what’s right regardless anyway in any case. (And it would and should be my fight to prove to the audience that I deserve a shot.)

A post shared by Babil Khan (@babil.i.k) on Jun 23, 2020 at 5:39am PDT

Referring to how the conversations after Rajput's death have been about starting anew, he hoped it leads to something positive.

"We must stand our ground, not let this thirst for a deeper meaning be repressed again... Although I resent that Sushant's demise has now become a fluster of political debates, but if a positive change is manifesting, in the way of the Taoist, we embrace it (sic).”

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