Babil Khan Says He Was Accused Of Exploiting Irrfan Khan’s Death To Boost Career: ‘If I Had Done That…’
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Babil Khan reflects on the emotional weight of carrying his late father Irrfan Khan’s legacy, opening up about grief, public scrutiny, and staying true to his journey.
Babil Khan opens up about navigating fame, grief, and criticism after Irrfan Khan’s death.
Babil Khan’s rise in the film industry has been marked not only by his talent but also by the emotional weight of his last name. With his recent turn in Amit Golani’s ZEE5 cyber-thriller Logout earning unanimous praise, Babil has proven that he’s not here to ride anyone’s coattails. Still, the shadow of his late father, legendary actor Irrfan Khan, looms large—and for Babil, it’s a presence he carries with both pride and pain.
In an emotional interview with The Lallantop, the 26-year-old actor opened up about the day that changed his life forever—the day his father passed away. “When baba passed away, the limelight suddenly shifted on me. I wasn’t ready for that,” Babil admitted. “But there was one moment that’s stayed with me. When baba’s body was being taken from the hospital to the funeral, the streets were filled with fans—even during Covid. Nobody cared about the risk. They just wanted to say goodbye. They were crying. It felt so real.”
That moment cemented Babil’s belief that his grief wasn’t his alone—it belonged to millions. “I had to give something back,” he said. “This wasn’t just my loss. It was a collective one. So I started sharing memories, hoping to keep a part of him alive for those who loved him.”
But not everyone saw his intentions as pure. As Babil recalled, his decision to publicly honour Irrfan sparked criticism. “Some people said I was using my father’s death to launch my acting career,” he said. “If that were true, I wouldn’t still be giving auditions today. I was sharing love because we were flooded with it from everyone. I had to honour that.”
He remembered sitting down with his mother Sutapa Sikdar and brother Ayaan after Irrfan’s passing and making a pact: anyone who mourned Irrfan was part of their extended family. “That’s why I posted,” he said. “It was never for publicity. But whenever you choose to walk in the grey, you get flak. There’s always another side. And yes, it hurt. But I reminded myself why I was doing it—and I kept going.”
In a recent interview with SCREEN, Babil further explained his life philosophy—one built on emotional honesty, no matter how vulnerable it makes him. “I live my life with full emotions. I cry, I feel the hate, I respond to it too. I’m a shy person, but I don’t shy away from living,” he said. “I’ve given so much respect to people and situations—and often, it backfires. But I won’t change. I won’t get used to the harshness. That’s the point. You have to live through the anxiety, the humiliation, the happiness, the joy… all of it. The experience matters more than the outcome.”