Exclusive: Irrfan Khan proved that a true artist is always humble: Producer Pritam Chowdhury recalls fond memories associated with the actor

The sad demise of versatile actor Irrfan Khan has left everyone mourning. While cinema lovers would remember him as a marvellous actor who was equally eloquent on-screen and stage, people, who knew him closely, will remember him as a great human being.

From director Anurag Basu to actor Prosenjit Chatterjee, everyone was left shattered by the news of Irrfan's sudden demise. While speaking with the media, they shared their memories associated with the actor. And they had a common thing to share- Irrfan was a gem of a person just like how he was as an actor.

Be it Prosenjit Chatterjee, who shared a personal bonding with him, actress Parno Mittra who acted with him in ‘Doob’, or his Piku co-star Jisshu U Sengupta, everyone explained the veteran actor as a human being who was down to earth. Producer

Pritam Chowdhury

, who knew Irrfan since the early 90s, has a special place in his heart for the actor. His relationship with the late actor goes back to ‘Tumhari Ashmita’ days, a TV project which featured Irrfan, Tara Deshpande and others. In an exclusive chat with ETimes TV, Pritam, who later worked with him in the films ‘

Namesake

’ and ‘Shadows of Time’, walked down the memory lane recalling fond memories with Irrfan….

“I am at a loss of words. What a gem of a person he was. I met him in the early 90s, that time I was working as a production manager. We were working for a TV project, Tumhari Ashmita. We used to shoot near the science city and other areas. He was a pass out of

National School Of Drama

. Whenever he met me, he used to speak with a smile on his face. He was always polite with all the technicians and crew members just like he used to treat other actors. I arranged a small guest house for him near Rashbehari. He never complained about anything,” he added.

Years later, Pritam worked with Irrfan once again in ‘Namesake’ and ‘Shadows of Time’. “Years later, when we met while working for the film Shadows of Time, he had already become a star. But he was equally humble. That time I was associated with the film as a line producer. His arrangements were done in a 5 star hotel but I never noticed any changes. We shot for the film in the city and adjacent areas. He never complained about anything. He was the same man whose arrangements were done in a simple guest house few years back. Later, we worked together in Meera Nair’s Namesake,” Pritam paused for a while as he was flooded with memories.

He added, “Every time, I met him he surprised me- both as an actor and a human being. He proved a true artist is a humble human being first. I will treasure his memories deep in my heart.” He signed out on an emotional note.