Friends crestfallen with irrfan khan illness

Irrfan, despite attaining stardom, used to regularly visit Jaipur to keep in touch his school and college friends. The news of Irrfan Khan suffering from neuroendocrine tumour has come a

rude shock to his friends and well-wishers in Jaipur. Irrfan, despite attaining stardom, used to regularly visit Jaipur to keep in touch his school and college friends.  Yusuf Khurram, who

was Irrfan’s senior at the National School of Drama (NSD), says: “I have known Irrfan from our early days of theatre. Then we were together at Rajasthan College and at the NSD. The best

thing about Irrfan is that he has not changed with the stardom. Of course, he is little introvert but he was like that always.”  Yusuf says as far as work is concerned he was very dedicated

towards it from the very beginning. “I still remember very vividly how much effort he had put for his role of Lenin in the Doordarshan teleplay called “Lal Ghas per Neelay Ghode. With this

play Irrfan announced his arrival.” The other thing which Yusuf appreciates very much is that Irrfan never indulged in gimmicks or controversies to promote himself. Haider Ali Zaidi, IPS

officer, who and Irrfan used to live in same locality, says it is very difficult to describe his feelings. “From childhood to college days we have been together. Apart from being a good

actor, Irrfan is a well read person. That is why he dealt with even complex roles with much easy.” Haider says what impressed him most about Irrfan is that he is very much grounded. From

early days he used to love play cricket and flying kites. “Of course, being busy he can’t play cricket but on every Makar Sankranti he used to come to my house for kite flying.” Ravi

Chaturvedi, the former assistant professor at Dramatics Department (Rajasthan University), can be credited with his early grooming in theatre. Chaturvedi says: Initially, he used to

commercial plays being done at Ramganj but he got in touch with me he started taking theatre seriously.”  He was very dedicated to theatre because when he got admission in NSD his father

died. So, the problem he faced was who look his father’s shop. But he helped his younger to take charge to that he could join the NSD, says Chaturvedi. FAST FACTS * Irrfan has been diagnosed

with neuro-endocrine tumour * Irrfan revealed he has a ‘rare disease’ on March 5 * Irrfan’s wife said that the battle “won’t be easy”