Irrfan Khan Does Not Deserve The Incessant and Uncalled For Speculations Containing The Dreaded C Word ! OPINION

Stop it right here,  and stop right now. Just stop! Conjectures about his illness on social media, reams of print and hours of prime time television consumed--throw all in the bin for Irrfan Khan is above the nonsensical media circus. A speedy recovery is what we can wish him minus the uncalled for speculations. 

On one of those balmy days of late summer, two years back exactly, I met Irrfan (Khan) for an interview. The end credits of his movies, even the ones that bounced off the western shores, had started omitting the last nomenclature of his. His name is Khan and he is a performer par excellence. But now Irrfan preferred being Irrfan (alone), and that was enough to command dignity and moolah in equal proportion both in Hollywood as indeed back home.

Before the cameras rolled for the said interview, Irrfan was busy positioning himself correctly to face the camera at the appropriate angle. A flurry of images  from earlier interviews  I had done with him, ran across my mind. Back in the day, all he had was the supreme and the unquestionable talent. And now there he was ,equipped with a PR machinery, an entourage, make up artists, costume guys et al. Irrfan Khan looked like an inaccessible and unattainable Hollywood biggie. "10 minutes precisely with sir," I was told categorically by the manger and I quickly started shooting the into at the cameras for a chat that was about to comence.

To the collective horror for all those who were present on the floor, a sudden flash followed a mini blow of sorts in the spotlights. I apologized immediately for the delay and the inconvenience caused due to the sorry occurrence. Hardly had the word sorry tumble out of my mouth, when Irrfan nudged at my shoulder with his characteristic nonchalance and said "Woh light nahi aati tab tak baat karte hain. Kya haalchaal baki bhai, You had lunch?," he inquired and did not fail to put me at ease.

"You haven't changed at all. I mean even after A Mighty Heart, Life Of Pie, The Amazing Spiderman, Jurassic World....and even after a glossy, of the international repute, featuring you on the cover, with a title that goes-The Real King Khan, you are just the same...your usual humble and real self," I responded to break the ice. Irrfan smiled  and continued to have his chai before the interview resumed. As a performer, Irrfan is unpredictable, unconventional and at times he is even quirky---and that's a director's delight, I am told by many a filmmaker. Off camera he is shy, warm and  the quintessential the-guy-next-door.

Today as we wait patiently to hear the accurate medical diagnosis for the rare disease that he has mentioned,  Irrfan deserves the much-needed privacy. What he doesn't deserve though is the incessant and uncalled for speculations containing the dreaded C word. Just imagine what his near ones must be going through as Irrfan faces challenging times. They care for Irrfan the persona, the actor, who has so much in him to contribute and the soul that continues to surprise with its unpredictability as much as his admirers do. Can't we afford to give...dare I say... The Real King Khan what he deserves the most--the much needed  silence and prayers in these trying times?

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 08, 2018 12:19 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).