MUMBAI: "Delhi Crime"-fame actor Rajesh Tailang, expressing grief over Irrfan Khan's demise, says he feels like he has lost a brother.

Actor Irrfan Khan died at the age of 54 on Wednesday, after being admitted to Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital where he was under observation for colon infection. The actor had announced in 2018 that he'd been diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumour.

"He was not just my NSD senior but we belonged to the same state. We both hail from Rajasthan. Everyone felt a connection with Irrfan Khan. As an actor he was so appreciated and loved. He created a whole new meaning of acting. His silence in his acting was so meaningful. He could portray any or all, simple and complex roles with ease," Tailang said.

Tailang said he has a personal connection with Irrfan Khan. "I don't know what to say, I lost my elder brother to cancer, around three to four years ago, and now I have lost another brother. I never had an opportunity to work with Irrfan Khan, and now I will always regret it. I met him regularly during NSD gatherings but now I will never be able to work with him. This is really unfortunate for me. But I think we all have learnt something or the other watching him perform. With his work and legacy, I am sure he will always be alive and with us all the time, in our memory, acting and craft," said the actor, who will soon be seen in the web shows "Mirzapur 2" and "Delhi Crime 2".