Filmmaker Abhinay Deo recently looked back on his time with Irrfan Khan during the making of the dark comedy ‘Blackmail’ (2018), praising the late actor’s dedication to his work. He recalled one scene in particular that has stayed with him. Though Irrfan was unwell, he ran nearly 200 metres in a single, uninterrupted take for a physically demanding shot. What touches Abhinay most is that he had no idea about Irrfan’s health at the time. He also spoke about their discussions around a possible sequel to the film, and how Irrfan responded when Abhinay promised they would collaborate again once his treatment was over.
Irrfan Khan and the ‘Blackmail’ sequel that never happened
As ‘Blackmail’ was nearing the end of its shoot, Abhinay, feeling sure of the film, had already begun talking to Irrfan about a sequel. The actor was equally keen on revisiting the story. By the time Irrfan saw the rough cut, his health had worsened, and Deo, now aware of his condition, met him to talk about working together again. “During the end of the shoot, I actually started discussing the part two with him because I was confident of this film. He was very excited and when he saw the film’s rough cut, by then we all knew that his health has taken a south turn. That time, I spoke to him and said, ‘See, Irrfan, wherever you are going, Germany or wherever, just go, get well and return soon, we have to do the second part.’ So, he started laughing and said, ‘Yeah, yeah, we’ll do.’ But, somewhere, he knew that his days were numbered.”
Abhinay Deo on Irrfan Khan’s dedication to his craft
In a conversation with SCREEN, Abhinay revealed that he made a habit of noticing the small details in Irrfan’s acting, and they never failed to leave an impression on him. Talking about the late actor, the director said, “There are so many things about him. He was an extremely spontaneous actor, one of the finest our country has ever had. He used to study his characters extensively, but you could never tell that he had done so much preparation. You never got the feeling that he was performing something he had rehearsed. His performances flowed like water. He was so spontaneous, and it was fabulous to watch him.”
When Irrfan Khan ran 200 metres in one take
Looking back on the moment, Deo shared, “There was a scene in Blackmail where I needed him to run for almost 200 metres without stopping, in a single shot. At the end of those 200 metres, he had to stop and emote, showing the turmoil of a man who had just seen his wife with someone else. He simply ran because there was no other way to do the scene. And, I didn’t know at that point in time that he was not well.”“I told him, ‘See, Irrfan, if we manage in this shot then great, otherwise, we will have to retake the scene.’ He said, ‘Yes, we’ll do.’ He still didn’t tell me that he isn’t well. He did once, did the second time, and in the third attempt, I said, ‘Let’s do one last take for tighter frames.’ And, Irrfan said, ‘Abhinay, this is the last take because after this, I might fall.’ I got shocked, and thought maybe he is tired because it was in the middle of the night,” said the director.
How Abhinay Deo learned about Irrfan Khan’s diagnosis
Abhinay shared that it was only a few days after the shoot that he learned Irrfan had been diagnosed with cancer. Reflecting on it, he said, “A few days later, I got to know that he is…this was the commitment level; that guy just ran and ran in that state. These memories are truly special because they remind me of a great man at work, someone who was completely dedicated to his craft.”
Irrfan Khan’s death at 53
Irrfan passed away on April 29, 2020, at 53, after fighting a neuroendocrine tumour. He died two years after ‘Blackmail’ hit theatres.