Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan to be honored at Dubai film festival
DUBAI: Prominent Indian actor Irrfan Khan will receive an honorary award at the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) in recognition of his contribution to film throughout a career that began over 30 years ago,
Khan, the former Muhr AsiaAfrica Award winner for “Best Actor — Feature” for “The Lunchbox” in 2008, will return to DIFF to receive the honorary award on Dec. 13.
Khan began his acting career working in Indian cinema, starring in a number of TV series, and the Academy Award-nominated “Salaam Bombay!”
Khan first gained international acclaim for his role in “The Warrior” (2001), a film circa feudal India in the State of Rajasthan where Khan plays Lafcadia, a fierce warrior who abandons his tyrannical lord to seek peace in his village. Thereafter Khan starred in Asvin Kumar’s short film, “Road to Ladakh” (2003) which received warm reviews on the international festival circuit.
In the nineteen-time Oscar, BAFTA, Golden Globe winning smash hit, “Slumdog Millionaire” (2008), Khan played the police inspector and won a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance.
DIFF Chairman Abdulhamid Juma, said: “Irrfan Khan is one of the greats of acting and cinema, with an array of acting credits that are testament to his incredible talents and his adaptability to play varying roles across many genres.”
His dedication to acting and the film industry, his ascension from small roles in Indian cinema to blockbuster hits, and his awardwinning acclaim are just some of the reasons why we at DIFF are delighted to present him with a DIFF honorary award at the festival’s 14th edition.”