Irrfan Khan and Deepak Dobriyal are like chalk and cheese, but they have one thing in common—both are extraordinary actors. While Irrfan is intense and brooding, Deepak is cool and fluid in his roles. Hindi Medium is their second film together after Vishal Bhardwaj’s Maqbool. Irrfan and Deepak are articulate about Hindi, and that is what makes them unique in this film.
“I am not fluent in English. I come from a region in the north where people are comfortable with Hindi. It’s only in this city that a lot of pressure is put on English. Back home, we always made fun of how Britishers left but left their language behind. Now I realise any language learnt is a boon. We were often told that we should learn to speak English. Fortunately, I am working in an industry where Hindi is the prime language,” says Deepak.
Irrfan was educated in a convent school on his mother’s insistence. “But since I grew up in north India, Hindi was the main language. I was closer to Hindi literature. We spoke English just to impress girls; it made us feel superior. I make sure my children know how to read and write in Hindi. I converse in a mix of English and Hindi with them. It’s important to know diverse languages.
All Bollywood superstars speak in Hindi. English has always been dominant because we were ruled by Britishers. Be it in business or jobs, language can become a vehicle for emotions,” he says.
Deepak believes films have no language. “India is a diverse country with so many dialects, languages, visuals and areas. It’s important to explore all languages through films instead of ridiculing them. Look at how Baahubali has traversed through all the boundaries of lanugage.”
Irrfan, who is known for his international ventures such as Life of Pi, The Amazing Spiderman, Jurassic World and The Inferno, says his job as an actor has given him the opportunity to work with people from different nationalities. “I have worked with American, British, Iranian and Pakistani actors. Pakistani actors have a sense of humour, especially girls, who are smart, beautiful and intelligent,” he says.
About Hindi Medium’s child star Dishita Sehgal (who also acted in Dear Zindagi), Irrfan says, “She was well trained, smart and intelligent, and we got to learn a lot from her. She is a born actress.”
Deepak, whose role as Pappi in Tanu Weds Manu and Tanu Weds Manu Returns earned him a lot of appreciation, says despite all odds, his journey has been a fruitful one. “I had no knowledge of the film industry. I came here bag and baggage with theatre experience, hoping to make it in films. I had no support from home. But I overcame all barriers and decided not to quit. I needed no visa to come here. You will not achieve success just because you have a godfather or you are someone’s son. At the end of the day your hard work and talent speaks,” he says.
Irrfan is awaiting his next international venture. “I am waiting for the studio to announce it. I’ve also done a Bengali film called Doob. I am playing a police officer in the film and it was a great experience,” he says.