The 'Piku' actor was born as Sahabzade Irfan Ali Khan.
Shoojit Sircar, who directed Irrfan in 'Piku', put it aptly, "... it's really difficult to reconcile that Irrfan is no more." Because there was no one quite like him. And needless to say, there will never be another like him. It's not just about his acting - which, of course, was extraordinary - but he was also a rare soul who inspired countless individuals worldwide. The way he lived his life, with all his humility, made him reign supreme in our hearts.
Speaking about Irrfan's humility, it's essential to acknowledge that he never used his privilege to his advantage. As you may know, he dropped 'Khan' from his name because he wanted his work to define him, and not his lineage. Moreover, despite having royal blood in his veins, he never felt the need to show it off.
Today, as we celebrate Irrfan's 57th birth anniversary, let's learn an interesting fact about him that many don't know.
As already mentioned, Irrfan was born as Sahabzade Irfan Ali Khan on January 7, 1967. His mother, Saeda Begum hailed from the royal Tonk Hakim family of Jaipur. On the other hand, his father was a zamindar in a village in Rajasthan.
However, the late actor was quite embarrassed of his royal lineage. In 2017, during an appearance on the reality show 'Son of Abish', he explained, "There are too many people of royal lineage there. I was embarrassed about it since childhood. I don't know why."
(Credit: Son of Abish)
Hence, he dropped Sahabzade from his name.
Speaking about not flaunting his lineage, Irrfan had said in one of his interviews that it was a very conscious decision. "I dropped my surname when I joined the industry. I wanted my work and not my surname to fetch me recognition. I don’t believe in the power of a surname. What makes you powerful are your deeds and karma. Whenever I go to my hometown, I still see people discussing how our forefathers did what they did, and how they are very proud of that. They are not responsible for their own choices. I feel sad. I feel what is the point of living in the past. You are alive. Your actions matter. Your actions and choices are going to make your life."
"It was a very conscious decision. At one point of time, I understood that it's us... it's our choices that write the story of our life. It's not our background, not my lineage, it's my actions and choices which will help me write the story of my life," he added.
It's also quite interesting that the late actor changed his name from 'Irfan' to 'Irrfan' by adding an extra r in it. However, unlike others (who change their names based on numerology), he did it just because he liked the sound of an extra r in his name.
And it's also worth noting that after doing so, he got some of his career's best opportunities. So in a way, it was indeed lucky for him.
Rest In Peace, Irrfan. Thank You For Everything!
