I don’t ever want to do a preachy ‘social message’ film: Irrfan Khan
24/06/2017
Irrfan Khan-starrer Hindi Medium garnered both critical acclaim and box-office success. The actor, who is known for associating himself with content-driven cinema, is elated about the feedback the film has received. The actor talks about success, responsibilities, pressures and more.
Did you anticipate the response Hindi Medium received?
I’d love to repeat that the film is a success (smiles). ‘Anticipating, calculating response, etc.,’ are marketing expressions. For me, audience response means my faith in them and their faith in me, and that’s my reason to act in relatable stories. It’s proved again with Hindi Medium, after Paan Singh Tomar (2012), The Lunchbox (2013), Piku (2015), and Talvar (2015), that story wins in my case always.
Your performance in the film has been appreciated. How special is the role?
All thanks to the audience. My conclusion is that no publicity can beat people’s voice. They are my ‘marketing tool’. They promote my film through word of mouth. I’m glad that the audience could connect and accept the character. Besides the unique love story between the characters, I love the way my character plays along with the hypocrisy of our social conditioning and how organically he comes out of it.
Are you particular about signing movies, that it should have an entertainment quotient as well as an important message to take back? How important is the intent?
The intent of the film is extremely important for me. But what’s more important is how entertainingly the intent is played out, and how it engages the audience. I want to amuse people and leave them with a lingering thought as they go back home. I don’t ever want to do a preachy ‘social message’ film. Whether it’s social or personal, it has to have a takeaway. I don’t think this is the first film I have done with a social message. At this juncture of my career, I want to do films on themes that will reach to a larger audience — the kind of films that you talk about even after a few months and years of watching it.
Do you feel doubly responsible now, given people have higher expectations from you? Does it add pressure?
Through the years, with each film, the audience’s confidence in me has grown. I‘m aware of the responsibility, as you put it, but I enjoy rediscovering myself without being irresponsible. So it’s not a pressure; it’s my need.
Do you agree that cinema is a reflection of society? Do you also aim to bring about change through films?
Art is a reflection of society, or it should be — and how you reflect it is the subtle balance and the challenge film-makers have. It’s not my challenge. I would be happily doing films I believe in, and through wonderful stories coming my way, entertain people to the best of my ability, depending on the director’s vision.
The actor will next be seen in Doob: No Bed Of Roses, and Raita, among others.
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