Irrfan Khan was possibly one of the finest actors of his generation. His demise was so sudden... too soon for such exceptional talent to go. He leaves a huge void not just for the film fraternity but in the hearts of Indians at large. 

An NSD alumnus, he was first spotted on the celluloid as a letter writer in Mira Nair’s ‘Salaam Bombay’ in 1988. He made countless small screen outings that helped him grow from strength to strength. ‘Bharat Ek Khoj’, ‘Chandrakanta’, ‘Kirdaar’, 'Chanakya' are just a few of them. 

Irrfan is easily one of the most gifted actors who consistently stood out for his unmatched acting prowess, his offbeat choices, and his unusual career trajectory. As the actor rests in peace, let’s take a look at the list of top Irrfan Khan Movies that will keep him alive in the hearts of cinema lovers, forever.

Haasil (2003): After several monotonous and unimaginative roles being offered, credit to Tigmanshu Dhulia for offering Irrfan the role of student leader Ranvijay Singh, a delightfully mysterious, and somehow a negative character. Irrfan grabbed this opportunity and erupted on the screen with the brute force of acting. His brilliance keeps the audience engaged and excited by swiftly transforming from a friend, philosopher, and guide to an abductor and murderer.

Maqbool (2003):  When you have Irrfan Khan team up with the brilliance of Vishal Bhardwaj, you know you’re in for a cinematic treat. In an adaptation of Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’, the 2003 film saw Irrfan delivering a nuanced, stony-hearted, and fiercely loyal chieftain torn between his love and his loyalty.

The character of Miyan Maqbool was extremely well written and Irrfan Khan portrayed intensity and charm and sent the audience into a trance with his exceptional performance.  Irrfan held his own charisma and managed to win everyone among heavily decorated actors like Pankaj Kapur, Naseeruddin Shah, and Om Puri. Through this performance, he earned all the praises, accolades, awards, and also the respect of critics, which had eluded Irrfan till that day.

The Namesake (2006): This  Mira Nair English language drama revolves around the struggles of an immigrant family beautifully depicting the tussle between appropriating new cultures while also trying to hold on to one’s heritage. Bong dads have a special restraint, and Irrfan nails it. The film will always be remembered for Ashok Ganguly. Right from the struggle of Ashok in a foreign land to his struggle with his rebellious son, Irrfan Khan did not leave Ashok Ganguly’s side for even a split second.

Life in a Metro (2007): Considered to be one of the best works of Anurag Basu. One of the reasons it is fondly remembered is definitely because of Irrfan's soulful character of a 35-year-old sweet, confused, socially inept man Monty with an adorable sense of humor.  In a set of other parallel stories, the story of Monty looking for his prospective bride through matrimonial sites and family connections, and then his chemistry with Shruti (Konkona Sen) is the soul of the film that evokes genuine laughter.

Paan Singh Tomar (2012): With this Tigmanshu Dhulia-directed film, Irrfan Khan truly came into his own for which he also bagged the National Award for Best Actor for his gritty performance. Both as an athlete as well as a dacoit, Irrfan aced both characters with perfection. Irrfan left everyone stunned portraying the role of Indian Army soldier, who is forced by trying circumstances to become a dacoit. ‘Paan Singh Tomar’ exhibited Irrfan's striking versatility to appear deep-rooted in any milieu in any part of India.

Though Irrfan hardly needed well-crafted dialogues to express, his eyes used to do wonders on screen. But the delivery of this dialogue - “बीहड़ में बाग़ी होते हैं... डकैत मिलते हैं पार्लियामेंट में" had all the Irrfanesque swag.

The Lunchbox (2013): Irrfan looked the sweetest in the delightful love story The Lunchbox playing the role of a middle-aged man experiencing the 'adolescent romance.' The performances of all characters are on point but Irrfan steals the show with his expressive eyes and mischievously soothing smile and had the viewers hooked on the love story that was blossoming a little more each day, with each letter in the lunch-box. He savors every dish like a gourmet meal without forgetting to let the audience in on the aroma. Irrfan narrated every emotion beautifully through his expressive eyes. The film won acclaim from across the world and was a favorite at many international film festivals.

PIKU (2015): Irrfan Khan’s only critique from a handful of his detractors often pointed out that he would not be able to pull off comedy before he shuts them down with his stellar performance in Shoojit Sircar’s ‘Piku’. It is said that the most difficult characters to play are the ones devoid of any particular behavior or mannerism. Rana Choudhary was one such character opposite two of most commercially acclaimed and brilliant actors, Amitabh Bachchan and Deepika Padukone having characters with peculiar mannerisms. Yet Irrfan's flair for comedy in his funny banters with Bhashkor (Mr. Bachchan) was the highlight of the film and PIKU emerged as a darling of critics and audiences alike.

Talvar (2015): Meghna Gulzar’s ‘Talvar’, was inspired by the 2008 Aarushi Talwar murder case, had Irrfan playing the investigating officer Ashwin Kumar who takes up the controversial case while going through a personal turmoil himself. As the sharp and incisive officer, Irrfan's brilliance keeps us all at the edge of our seats in this crime drama, perfectly displaying the frustration and helplessness of an officer experiencing disgust for the corrupt, and subsequent despair. The audience gets up sharing the same disgust he powerfully expresses for the people behind such a heinous act.

Madari (2016): "बाज़ चूज़े पे झपटा, उसे उठा ले गया. कहानी सच्ची लगती है मगर अच्छी नहीं लगती. बाज़ पे पलट वार हुआ, कहानी सच्ची नहीं लगती मगर अच्छी लगती है..."

Madari opens up with this wisdom in Irrfan Khan’s resonant voiceover and starts a thrilling story of a common man who chooses to be a hunter rather than the hunted. Nirmal, a man who lost his son due to the negligence of the government, seeks revenge and kidnaps the son of the home minister, forcing the administration to meet his demands. The film witnessed Irrfan in a new look and a different character and the audience accepted him with open arms.

Hindi Medium (2017): One of the highest-grossing Indian films of all time, Hindi Medium is a light comedy-drama that also won two Filmfare Awards, including Best Film and Best Actor For Irrfan Khan. This highly entertaining flick tells the story of a couple who cluelessly aspire to give their daughter the best education while the script focusses on the message - that the best education is only sought to make them a part of the so-called ‘elite group’. Irrfan shows his acting prowess displaying how to get under the skin of a character.

Irrfan's performances in Qissa, Ye Saali Zindagi, Mumbai Meri Zaan, Haider, and Qarib Qarib Single... all have his brilliance written all over it. To me, Irrfan will remain a rare talent and an actor whose eyes narrated a sea of stories.

Travel well my dear... you will be missed!