Sutapa Sikdar: Sardar Udham was Irrfan's dream role

Vicky Kaushal’s just release film ‘Sardar Udham’ helmed by Shoojit Sircar held a special screening in the city on Friday which was attended by several A-listers from B-Town, including Sutapa Sikdar and Babil Khan who got flooded with memories of Irrfan Khan during the film.

Talking about it, Sutapa recently told a news portal that it was late Irrfan Khan’s dream to play the role of Sardar Udham Singh. 

Before Vicky, Irrfan had to opt out of the film due to his health problems

Sutapa shared that even looking at Vicky on the big screen reminded her of Irrfan who was excited about the film almost like a child for his ‘tough role’. 

Recalling their days at the National School of Drama (NSD), she continued that while it’s unfair to compare Vicky and Irrfan owing to their age and experience in films, she asserted that Vicky’s face radiated passion, dedication, hard work and love for cinema, just like Irrfan.

She further added that wherever Irrfan is, he must be happy to see Vicky as Sardar Udham Singh as it was his dream role.

In a recent interview Vicky Kaushal said, 

"Irrfan sir was in a league of his own. It’s not possible for me or any other actor to fill his shoes. He was one of the greatest actors in the world. Look at the quality of his work. I love him as an actor and deeply admire him. We lost him way too soon. I felt like his spirit and blessings were around us. For me, the attempt was never to fill his shoes because I knew I could never achieve that. The aim was to act to the best of my ability and surrender completely to Shoojit sir’s version of Sardar Udham"

Khan left for his heavenly abode in April 2020, after his prolonged battle with a neuroendocrine tumour. 

He is survived by his wife Sutapa and son Babil Khan who will soon make his acting debut alongside actress Tripti Dimri.