Five years after the passing of legendary actor Irrfan Khan, his close friend and fellow actor Vipin Sharma has shared a deeply emotional account of their last meeting in London, where Irrfan was undergoing treatment for a neuroendocrine tumor.
In a recent interview with Lallantop, Vipin Sharma opened up about visiting Irrfan on the very day he began chemotherapy. He recalled climbing up to the fourth floor of the hospital and spotting a book by Rumi next to Irrfan’s bed—an image that perfectly captured the late actor’s introspective spirit.
“He was in a lot of pain and was laughing loudly. I can’t describe the amount of pain he was going through,” Vipin shared emotionally.
As fate would have it, the two friends crossed paths just as Irrfan was returning from grabbing a coffee. Wrapped in a shawl, Irrfan greeted Vipin with a warm hug before the two spent quality time together in his hospital room.
Despite his deteriorating health, Irrfan’s sharp wit and sense of humor remained untouched. Vipin fondly remembered Irrfan joking about his mini fridge being stuffed with food:
“He said, ‘Look yaar, so much food! I’m so hungry. People must be thinking nothing’s wrong with me, I’m eating like this.’”
The hospital staff, especially a group of Malayali nurses, had developed a warm rapport with the actor. Vipin revealed that they often played games like hopscotch with him, filling the room with joy and laughter.
That hospital room, Vipin said, had transformed into Irrfan’s “small world”, complete with multiple TV channels, Netflix, and Amazon Prime, all set up by friends to keep the actor entertained and mentally engaged.
What moved Vipin most was Irrfan’s unwavering fighting spirit. Despite being in immense physical pain, he remained intellectually active—reading, watching films, and staying curious about life.
“He never stopped learning. That was Irrfan—curious, strong, and full of life even when facing the end.”
Irrfan Khan’s final film, Angrezi Medium, was released in March 2020, just weeks before he passed away on April 29, 2020, at the age of 53. The film now stands as a powerful reminder of the resilience, talent, and humanity that defined his extraordinary life.