MUMBAI : It’s late actor Irrfan Khan’s fourth death anniversary, and the void left by the legend remains irreplaceable. Everyone who ever interacted with the actor has only great things to say about him, and The Kerala Story actor Pranav Misshra not only cherishes his memories with him, he also remembers the late actor as a mentor. 

Pranav got to work with Irrfan during his theatre days, and he remembers seeing him as an inspiration when he hadn't yet moved to Mumbai. “I wasn't sure if I will ever go to Mumbai but the passion for theatre was always there since the beginning. One thing I knew was the fact that legendary actors like Irrfan sir worked in theatre before they became popular actors. And I have had the fortune to be a part of a small workshop from Irrfan sir,” he says. 

Adding further, Pranav shares, “I have always looked up to Irrfan sir as a source of inspiration and light where I just use to look at his journey and smiling face despite all the hardships and struggles. Irrfan sir was from Jaipur and my father’s clinic was very close to Subhash Chowk where he used to stay and was brought up. I know the local lingo he used in his craft in his performances, like his way of saying things like ‘kya bhaiya’ and all that which are very personal experiences. He paved the way for aspiring actors like me in Bollywood.”

Pranav adds that Irrfan provided him a lot of relatability and motivation to pursue his passion for acting. “The fact that he started from the same theatre stage where I was, gave me so much confidence that its possible and I can do it too. Also whenever I felt disheartened or disappointed, I used to say to myself ‘Subhash chowk se nikal kar ladka international cinema me naam aur respect kama rahein hai’. It would automatically flip my mind set and focus work even harder. In one of his interviews, he said, ‘to be a good artist, you have to be a good human being’. And it gave a new direction to my life as an artist and a human being,” he concludes.s a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can play, pause and resume watching as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, and can change their plans at any time.