Life of Pi lives on

BENGALURU: The only time I met Irrfan Khan was at the airport after the premiere of our movie in Goa. I was 14 when I got the role of Ravi Patel in Life of Pi through a series of auditions in my school, St. Joseph’s Boys’ High School, Bengaluru, in 2012. I used it merely as an excuse to get out of class and never thought I would eventually be shortlisted and chosen to play a role in the film.

Irrfan Khan and I didn’t have any scenes together nor were we called on set at the same time. So when I met him, it was almost exclusively as a fan. He did, however, flash a surprised smile when he realised who I was and seemed a little more enthusiastic to take a picture with me. But that was it. Then why am I so saddened by his passing?

I have watched our film several times, both as a child and as an adult. As a child, I felt excitement on seeing myself on the silver screen, in the same movie as Irrfan Khan. It was something to tell my friends, and a conversation starter for my parents at parties. Only when I grew older, and got more interested in cinema, did I fully understand the philosophical weight of the movie, as well as Khan’s beautiful portrayal of my on-screen brother. Towards the end of film, he tells the writer how he wished he could say goodbye to his family, his parents, his brother, and I really felt that. I imagine he pictured his brother, the life they had together, their time as children. Maybe he saw Ravi. 

Maybe he saw me.
That scene became even more poignant to me when I saw so many posts on social media quoting his lines from the scene. His lines on the inevitability of death and the regret of not getting to say goodbye. From that trivial interaction at the airport, I didn’t expect his passing to affect me so personally. But it has, be it through his humility, his unquestionable talent or just as his older brother Ravi Patel, who didn’t get the chance to say goodbye.

(The author is the creative head at Paper Plane Productions, Bengaluru, and acted in the film, Life of Pi)