Irrfan Khan's first death anniversary: We bet you didn't know these facts about 'Inferno' star!

New Delhi: The late legendary Indian actor, Irrfan Khan donned many hats. He was not only a fine actor but also closely connected to his family and roots. Coming from a non-filmy background, Irrfan stunned his fans with his acting prowess and unconventional looks. He was a powerhouse of talent and always brought something new and exciting to treat his fans. 

Irrfan left us for the heavenly abode on April 29, 2020. He was admitted to Kokilaben hospital due to a colon infection a day before he died. The 'Piku' actor was suffering from a rare form of cancer - Neuroendocrine Tumour - for two long years and broke the news of his illness first on social media. It's been a year now, but his memories still remain fresh. 

Today, in his remembrance, let's share some lesser-known facts about this super versatile actor. 

1. Irrfan belonged to a village named Tonk in Rajasthan's Jaipur. He was from a zamindar family and also had royal connections. 

2. His father always wanted him to join the family business but he was keen on becoming a cricketer initially. After receiving a scholarship at the National School of Drama (NSD), he decided to pursue his career in acting.

3. His real name was Sahabzade Irfan Ali Khan. Being a part of a film fraternity where people prefer shorter names, he chose to keep ‘Irrfan’ only and added an extra ‘r’ to it.

4. Irrfan in several of his interviews often shared how even though he was born in a Pathan family but was never really fascinated by hunting or eating meat.

5. Not many know that the 'Life of Pi' actor turned down a major role in the Hollywood movie 'Interstellar,' because of his prior commitments for 'Lunchbox' and 'D-Day'. Reports suggest the role demanded him to stay back in the US for at least 3-4 months.  

Irrfan was happily married to his fellow NSD companion Sutapa Sikdar. Together they have two sons, Babil and Ayan. Recently, the Academy paid tribute to the 'Angrezi Medium' actor. He was featured in the Academy's 'In Memorium' segment during the Oscars 2021 ceremony.