BHUBANESWAR: Writer and producer Sutapa Sikdar said late actor Irrfan Khan, her husband, continues to inspire a generation of young actors even years after his passing. This has become a source of strength for her as she learns to live with his absence.
Speaking during the session ‘Remembering Irrfan: A Life in Cinema’ on the first day of the Odisha Literary Festival 2026 on Saturday, she said, “I liked the way he has kind of motivated the younger generation, which is my power and spirit, in which I find the strength to live.” She said young actors who may never have considered acting were encouraged by Irrfan’s journey from outside the traditional film industry.
Sikdar said she continues to receive messages from people whose lives he touched. “I had no idea Irrfan touched so many people’s lives. That’s when I realised that when somebody is true to their craft through their life, it is going to go ahead.”
For Sikdar, Irrfan’s legacy extends beyond his performances. “He was not merely a craftsman or a skilled actor. He had a spiritual connection with the craft,” she said.
“He had this curiosity about everything. That is what I still miss,” Sikdar said. She said Irrfan was an avid reader and documentary watcher. Sikdar said Irrfan’s curiosity remained intact even after he became internationally recognised. His interest in nature, organic farming and India’s diversity reflected the same outlook.
For Irrfan, Sikdar added, a good story mattered more than where it originated. His willingness to follow that belief was evident in his career choices. She recalled how Irrfan said no to an international project to work on the 2015 movie Piku.
Recalling their relationship, Sikdar said that it was far removed from the glamour associated with Bollywood. “When I first saw him at NSD, he was wearing polyester black pants and it kind of put me off.” She recalled it was not instant love or attraction. “It grew as I came to know him as a person, as a human being, as an actor, as an artist. And it was amazing.”
The couple shared a life that, Sikdar said, was not built around the conventional trappings of the film industry. “We wanted to travel. He was working on his craft and we wanted to develop an organic farm. We don’t regret a second that we didn’t do the regular in Bollywood,” she said.
She accompanied Irrfan during his shoots but deliberately stayed away from his film sets. They would meet at night and talk. “We spoke so much otherwise. There was so much to talk,” she said, recalling they also fought sometimes, especially over differing ideas about raising their children.
Six years after Irrfan’s death, Sikdar continues to maintain a conversation with him through writing. “I write his part as well, just for myself, to get over the void which he created forever. I don’t think anybody can fill it. Life without him is unimaginable so I made him a part of my life.”
