Impossible to speak of Irrfan Khan in past tense: Mira Nair

Filmmaker Mira Nair on Sunday said it's "virtually impossible" to talk about Irrfan Khan in past tense as the actor was alive for everything in life.

Irrfan, 54, died in a Mumbai hospital on Wednesday after a two year fight with a rare form of cancer. He was buried at the Versova graveyard.

During the digital home-to-home fundraiser concert, 'I For India' which streamed on Facebook, Nair, who had helmed Irrfan's debut "Salaam Bombay" and "The Namesake", paid tribute to the actor.

"To speak of Irrfan Khan in the past tense is virtually impossible, because Irrfan was always alive. He was alive to life, whimsy, friendship, alive to the street child. Irrfan was one of the most beautiful listeners I have ever known. He listened beautifully and harnessed it into his art," she said.

The filmmaker said the best part about Irrfan was that in his work, there was never a repetition, "never something that you had seen before."
"I will miss you so much Irrfan but you have left an extraordinary legacy of work because you always knew that you were special, that you had something that must be cherished, nourished and not fritted away. That's what you gave us, in each of your roles."