Sutapa Sikdar reveals how comparisons with Irrfan have left Babil 'depressed' ; mentions Abhishek Bachchan

Irrfan Khan’s demise left a huge void in hearts of cinema lovers all over India. His elder son Babil has proved that he has the acting chops in projects like Qala and The Railway Men. But the constant comparison with his late father has dampened his spirit and morale. His mother Sutapa Sikdar said he was almost in depression due to this reason. She told Hindustan Times that the family has not yet come on terms with his death.

She was quoted as saying, “Babil pe bahut zyada pressure hai aur mujhe yeh thik nahin lagta (Babil has a lot of pressure and I don’t feel it’s right).” Irrfan Khan who graduated from TV to films did not face any of this pressure. Sikdar said when Babil Khan would be free of this shadow, he would find his own voice as an actor in a more fulfilling manner. Sutapa Sikdar said it was not only about work but also about losing one’s father. She said he is almost in depression.

It seems Babil Khan is still in grief over the death of his dad. She said this stress and comparison after every project was unnecessary. Sutapa Sikdar said, “As a mother, I feel, ‘Please mere bachche ko chor do (Please, spare my child) '. Also, he is very vulnerable and does not have a fighter's spirit!” Sikdar also said that Babil Khan might have inherited his sensitive temperament from somewhere. It seems her father and she were very strong-minded people.

Sikdar gave an example of Abhishek Bachchan who despite his string of great performances is always compared to his megastar father, Amitabh Bachchan. She said he was amazing in I Want To Talk but this constant comparison worked against him. She said Babil is in a similar scenario.

He will be seen next in Shoojit Sircar’s The Umesh Chronicles that also stars Amitabh Bachchan.