Asif Kapadia’s Warrior in 2001 brought Irrfan Khan a volume of global acclaim he had never witnessed before. What surprised him most after Warrior was that people were talking about his physicality. "I was even called a sex god when I was in London! This kind of critical pampering was new to me.
I began looking at myself with new eyes," said Irrfan in an old interview. Warrior was the first project where Irrfan was cast as a hero. “I’m indebted to Asif Kapadia for seeing a hero within me.
The character allowed me to convey everything from compassion to sensuality. People loved my big eyes which were initially seen by some as a handicap. That used to hurt.
I remember as a child my father used to say, ‘Yeh aankhen hain ya pyaala hai.’ After Warrior, I was made to know what he meant. I’m glad that I waited for Maqbool and Warrior instead of succumbing to the temptation of doing too many crass films.
If I had my way, I’d only do such multi-layered films. These films allowed me to be minimalist.” After Warrior, the international projects started pouring in.
"Yes, quite a few, including one from Ridley Scott about the fight between Jews and Palestines. I was offered the role of a Muslim leader. I can’t understand when and how I became suited for dark roles.
When I passed out of the NSD, I was offered roles of noble, sensitive, gentle souls. I was soon bored with them. After I played a negative role in the soap Banegi Apni Baat, I was given the job of scaring audie.