Talent

Rajniti made me think of celluloid stalwarts. The film had more than a generous sprinkling of heavy weights. Nasseruddin Shah. Nana Patekar. Ajay Devgan. Manoj Bajpai. XX. With all due respect, to these gentlemen, it’s a different man who gets my vote for the best actor of our times. A chameleon, taking on and shedding personas with an effortlessness that can only leave you gaping as you struggle to recognise him. It always takes me a few beats before I go, “That’s Irfaan Khan, isn’t it?”. But that’s not why I think he’s just awe inspiring. It’s that his versatility includes all things comic with such panache. Metro is worth watching, just for Khan’s rendition of Monty. A character that makes you flush with embarrassment the first time you come across him, and somehow wends his way through the crude and lechy first impressions to a hysterically funny heart stealing “par abhi to petticoat pe uske naam silwa gaaya” moment… redemption on a white horse. Gravitas takes talent. But comic timing. Now that’s serious stuff. I can only think of the indomitable Utpal Dutt who slipped from one to the other as majestically, and perhaps Sanjeev Kumar. I can’t think of any other actor that can make you forget that it’s him up there. I don’t watch a lot of Hindi films, but on reflection, I’ve been taken in by Maqbool, winced at Slumdog Millionaire, bonded with The Namesake, and been left in painful stitches by Monty. Four completely different characters, true to the core, divergent personalities but each one utterly convincing. So much so, that you don’t reminisce about Irfaan, it’s that gentle Bangaal; that lecherous Monty; the callous cruelty of the police inspector; or the besotted Miyan. One man. Irfaan Khan.