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Irrfan Khan, Bollywood Icon and Slumdog Millionaire Star, Dead at 53

The tributes for him are pouring in

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Allison Picurro

Irrfan Khan, whose icon status in Bollywood earned him international acclaim in movies like Slumdog Millionaire and Life of Pi, died on April 28 at the age of 53. Earlier this week, Khan was admitted to the ICU in Mumbai, India, due to a colon infection. In 2018, he announced that he had been diagnosed with a rare neuroendocrine tumor.

In a statement provided to The Daily Mail, Khan's representatives said, "It's saddening that this day, we have to bring forward the news of him passing away. Irrfan was a strong soul, someone who fought till the very end and always inspired everyone who came close to him." They also said that Khan's mother passed away last week, but COVID-19 restrictions prevented him from attending her last rites.

Khan was a prolific actor, receiving national recognition for his roles in Bollywood films like Life In a... Metro and Paan Singh Tomar. In 2008, he was exposed to global audiences with his role in Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire. He went on to appear in Life of Pi, The Amazing Spider-Man, and Jurassic World, and was widely praised for his performance in 2013's The Lunchbox.

Loving tributes from co-stars, friends, and fans having been pouring in over social media, celebrating the life and career of an actor beloved by many. Priyanka Chopra, who shared the screen with Khan in 2011's Seven Sins Forgiven, expressed her admiration for him and sent condolences to his family.

Kal Penn, who played Khan's son in the 2006 drama The Namesake, took the opportunity to praise the actor for his talents. "Never seen someone use the beats of silence so beautifully to convey so much about who we are," Penn wrote.

Pranab Mukherjee, the former President of India, noted that Khan's loss on the film industry would be felt.

Khan's Jurassic World director, Colin Trevorrow, shared details of his last conversation with Khan. "In our last correspondence, he asked me to remember 'the wonderful aspects of our existence' in the darkest of days," Trevorrow said.

Riz Ahmed wrote about Khan's "consistently transcendent" work and recognized him as inspiration to many.

Take a look at some of the other celebrities mourning the actor.