Babil Khan, son of the late actor Irrfan Khan, is chasing his dream to become an actor. He wants to follow his father’s path and bring honor to his family. Babil has already appeared in films like “Kaala” and web series like “The Railway Men.” His latest film, “Logout,” is set to release on April 18 on ZEE5.
Babil’s journey to becoming an actor wasn’t straightforward. He could have been a sportsman, but an injury stopped him. He then went to the UK to study cinematography. He was scared to tell his father about his desire to act because of his father’s legacy and his own fear of failure. “I was afraid to tell him because of the ego between a father and son,” Babil said. He finally confessed to his father, who was worried because he knew Babil was sensitive.
Babil’s passion is performance, which can be acting or singing. “I’m a shy singer,” he added. He feels cinematography is more of a hobby for him. Babil’s father, Irrfan, was diagnosed with cancer while Babil was studying. Irrfan passed away in April 2020. Babil was shocked and didn’t expect his father’s death. “I thought he would recover 100% from cancer,” he said.
Irrfan fought cancer but died due to a weak immune system after chemotherapy. Babil feels proud that his father overcame cancer before passing away. When Irrfan’s funeral procession was held, many people came out to pay their respects despite the COVID-19 lockdown.
After his father’s death, Babil became more active on social media and shared his feelings openly. People would come to him, hug him, and cry. He felt close to them and responsible for his father’s memories.
Dealing with Trolls
However, Babil soon realized the dark side of social media fame and the impact of trolls on mental health. He started to feel the effects and decided to stay away from social media. Babil faced trolls again when a clip of him apologizing to someone on the red carpet went viral. People dragged his father’s name into the comments, which upset Babil. “I felt broken because I thought it affected my father’s image,” he said.
His mother, Sutapa Sikdar, told him that his father wouldn’t care about such things. During the shooting of “Logout,” Babil understood why people hate others on social media. “We have given our self-respect as a hostage to others’ approval,” he said. “We compare ourselves to others and create hatred, which we then impose on others.”
Babil’s dream is to win the Best Actor Oscar from India. He doesn’t want to be limited to one profession. In his films, he has played different characters, such as a classical musician in “Kaala” and a railway worker in “The Railway Men.” In “Logout,” he plays a social media influencer whose life is turned upside down when his phone is lost.
Babil’s parents kept him away from phones and technology when he was young. They didn’t want him to be affected by its negative impacts. Irrfan once gave Babil his broken BlackBerry phone, which made Babil appreciate having limited screen time. “I only use my phone to listen to music and use the notes app,” he said.
Lessons from Irrfan
Babil remembers his father playing chess with him to understand his feelings. Irrfan would say, “Feel boredom. Sit and feel bored. What’s the problem? Why are you in such a hurry to do something?” These lessons have stuck with Babil, who now values the importance of being present and not rushing through life.