SUBSTANCE OVER STYLE
Irrfan Khan is that rare thespian who, with his effortless on-screen performances, can make people believe that acting is second nature to him. But what many tend to overlook are the hard-won aspects of his craft, his early years of struggle as a drama st
Q. Prior to becoming one of the most recognisable and successful figures in the Hindi film industry, you were known as a television actor. How difficult was it for you to make this transition from the small screen to big?
A. It was difficult in the sense that I was not getting opportunities in cinema. I kept telling people about “the role” which will establish me. So, it was a long wait and it was difficult. People used to identify me as a very good actor, but they did not want to offer a chance to a TV actor. Because we always get into such definitions that go: ye toh TV actor hai; ye film actor hain. [This one is a TV actor; this one is a film actor.] Everybody wants to repeat the formula. Nobody was ready to look into the potential that I had. So, yes, it was a long wait for me.
Q. When did you finally get your big break in mainstream world cinema?
A. My break was both national and international — happening simultaneously. I got the main lead in The Warrior, an international film, and then got the main lead in Haasil, which is an Indian film. Both happened almost at the same time. It was kind of a turning point in my career.
Q. There was a time when commercial cinema was not taken seriously by film critics. But some of the finest films being made today are commercially successful. Do you think in the contemporary scenario, quality and boxoffice success are not incompatible?
A. Box-office success is one thing. There is another kind of quality cinema today, which is also doing quite well at the box office: films like Piku, Talvar. All these films are part of a new type — they are successful at the box office and also have something fresh to say in terms of the storytelling. These films are not one- dimensional and are yet entertaining. So basically, the scenario is changing. Earlier, there were commercial films and parallel cinema; and parallel cinema was not commercially viable at all. It was patronised by the NFDC [National Film Development Corporation of India]. These films were not expected to get any returns on the investment. But today, we don’t have that kind of scenario where cinema needs patronising. Now we have a new breed of directors who are trying to tell stories in a different way, so that intelligent audiences can engage with, as well as