DailyOh! Why Irrfan 'turned down' Christopher Nolan’s offer, to the tumour he fought
If you woke up to the terrible terrible news of actor Irrfan’s death and feel shocked, we feel you. The actor had been suffering since 2018 with a health condition which in the medical world is called a neuroendocrine tumour. It is a 'rare condition', like Irrfan put it. Just four days ago, he lost his mother and couldn’t make it to Jaipur for her last rites because of the lockdown. Some say it could have been the pain of not being able to say goodbye to his mother that could have taken Irrfan away so early. He was just 53. Death is mindless to age but not being able to say our goodbyes can be painful.
Remember what Pi Patel, played by Irrfan, said in Life of Pi (2012) about the importance of saying goodbye?
Khan has left his family, friends and fans with a rich body of work that will keep his legacy alive even in the absence of his bodily presence. Actors may say they do not care so much to make it to Hollywood, but we all know the truth on that one, right? But Irrfan was the one actor who could turn down Hollywood offers. Not just any offer. Even offers coming from the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway and Christopher Nolan.
Nolan, in fact, wanted to cast Irrfan in his 2016 science-fiction film Interstellar. It is said he was offered the cameo that was later done by Matt Damon. India’s biggest export to Hollywood, Irrfan, was reportedly busy working on projects like The Lunchbox and D-Day when Nolan’s offer came to him. In fact, in a 2015 interview, he cleared the air on Interstellar. He said that it was a very 'unfair report' that he turned down Christopher Nolan. He 'could not do the film', said Irrfan. You can read more on that here. And if you are wondering why the extra ‘r’ in Irrfan, well, his original name was Sahabzade Irfan Ali Khan. He found it too long so cut it down to Irrfan Khan with an extra ‘r’ because he liked the sound of it just like we liked and loved his voice, his acting and him in toto. He later dropped 'Khan' too and went ahead with Irrfan because he did not want his caste, religion or surname to speak for him. He wanted his work to speak for him.
We told you in medical terminology Irrfan died of a tumour – the neuroendocrine tumour. Tumours kill millions of people every year. So much so, that it has become a dreaded word for all of us because it is often mistaken to be cancer. But there is a difference. Cancer is a disease in which cells, almost anywhere in the body, begin to divide uncontrollably. A tumour is when this uncontrolled growth occurs in solid tissues. Where does one find solid tissues in the body? In organs, muscles, and bones. Our Word Of The Day tumour comes from the Latin word tumere, which means to swell. So, now you know not all body swellings are tumours, because not all swellings are on solid tissues. It may or may not be cancerous.
All diseases, including cancer, have for now taken a backseat because the world is preoccupied with the coronavirus. Those battling other diseases are preoccupied with what ails them, but as many as 184 countries in the world are in the grip of Covid-19.
Different countries are trying different things to combat coronavirus. But smokers are all looking at French scientists because scientists in France are set to test a theory which says nicotine helps the body combat Covid-19.
Scientists say it is possible that the chemical contained in cigarettes could influence whether or not coronavirus molecules are able to attach themselves to receptors in the body. We wonder why the body has receptionists taking in such unwanted molecules, but that’s how the body is. Deal with it.
The trial will involve groups of healthcare workers and patients. Some of them will wear nicotine patches and others, placebo patches. These will then be tested to see if there is a difference in how their bodies respond to Covid-19.
French professor Jean-Pierre Changeux has claimed nicotine blocks the receptors on which the virus comes and rests in our bodies. The study, of which Changeux is a party, claims smokers are 80 per cent less likely to catch the coronavirus than non-smokers of the same age and sex.
We know what you are considering doing now. But before you light that cigarette, this is what you need to know: cigarette lobbies are very strong. Remember the 2005 movie Thank You For Smoking? It is a satirical black comedy film written and directed by Jason Reitman, starring Aaron Eckhart. The movie is based on the 1994 novel of the same name by Christopher Buckley. The movie follows the life of Big Tobacco's chief spokesman, Nick Naylor, who lobbies on behalf of cigarettes using heavy spin tactics. While the movie is a work of fiction, the cigarette industry has used the tactics shown in the movie to remain and grow in business. As they say, truth is stranger than fiction and fiction is often used to tell the truth.
But as you saw the movie, did you notice Thank You For Smoking doesn’t show a single cigarette being lit? That is the movie’s biggest irony. Here’s a clip for you from the movie:
Now, we ain’t discarding the work of French scientists - just advising caution.
And caution is the one-word advice we extend to all those in Manipur trying to point at loopholes in the government handling of Covid-19. Why? Because Chief Minister N Biren Singh is on a hunting expedition and is shooting down messengers. In the state capital of Imphal alone, 10 people have been booked under the Disaster Management Act and Indian Penal Code. This hunting expedition makes Biren Singh our Covidiot Of The Day.
Two activists of the Youth’s Forum for Protection of Human Rights were reportedly charged after their organisation issued a press note questioning the location of a proposed quarantine facility by the Manipur government. Singh will do himself and the people of Manipur a huge favour if he stops smelling controversy and starts smelling the coffee, or tea, whatever it is that he drinks.
Suppression of information in China has spread the virus to over 31,48,709 people across the globe, leaving 2,18,371 dead. Singh can book the whole of Manipur for criticising policies, but he sure can’t do that to the virus. For now, Biren Singh can just focus on the virus.
It is important to save all lives that can be saved. Unfortunately, Irrfan's couldn’t. His legacy, as they say, will live.
Goodbye, Irrfan…
We will remember your journey always...
We will leave you with this for today. Go back to your favourite Irrfan film. We are sure you have more than one.
See you tomorrow.