Babil Khan opens up about pain of being accused of exploiting father Irrfan Khan's death to advance his career: 'If that were true, I wouldn't be going to auditions today'

Babil Khan opens up about pain of being accused of exploiting father Irrfan Khan’s death to advance his career: 'If that were true, I wouldn’t be going to auditions today'













Babil Khan has received widespread praise for his subtle and compelling role in Amit Golani’s cyberthriller 'Logout'. However, he still finds himself overshadowed by the legacy of his late father, the iconic actor Irrfan Khan. Even five years after Irrfan’s passing, Babil admits that losing his father transformed him profoundly and instantly.






The Unprepared Spotlight






After his father passed away, Babil found himself suddenly in the spotlight, a situation he admits he was unprepared for. One memory that has stayed with him is the day his father was taken from the hospital to the funeral—despite the Covid pandemic, the streets were crowded with fans who didn’t care about the risk of infection; they just wanted to see Irrfan Khan one last time, many of them openly weeping. The intensity and reality of that collective grief made Babil feel that he owed something to his father’s admirers. He realized that the loss was not just his own, but shared by countless others, which inspired him to begin sharing his memories of his father with the public.






Facing Accusations of Exploitation






In an interview with The Lallantop, Babil reflected on the accusations that he was using his late father’s death to further his acting career. He debuted as the lead actor in Anvitaa Dutt’s 2022 romantic thriller 'Qala', which was released directly on Netflix India. Babil responded to the criticism by saying, “If that were true, I wouldn’t be going to auditions today. I was simply sharing the love because everyone showed us so much love and support.”






A Shared Sense of Family and Responsibility






Babil shared a sentiment with his mother, Sutapa Sikdar, and brother, Aayaan Khan, expressing that anyone who feels the loss is considered part of their family. Babil explained that he used to post about his father to honor that belief and the responsibility it entailed. However, he acknowledged that there is always another side to the story—just as yin complements yang and white contrasts black. Whenever he tried to navigate the middle ground, differing opinions would arise. Although this sometimes made him feel disheartened, he resolved to continue sharing his memories regardless.






Living Life Authentically Amidst Criticism






In a recent interview with Screen, Babil expressed that he lives his life on his own terms and refuses to let anyone stop him. He embraces his emotions fully—he cries, feels hate, responds to it, and continues to live authentically. Although he describes himself as a shy person, he does not let that prevent him from living his life to the fullest. Babil also shared that he has always shown great respect to people and situations, even when that respect has not been reciprocated, and he admits that he is still not used to that and probably never will be. He believes that the true essence of life lies in experiencing everything—the anxiety, pain, humiliation, embarrassment, happiness, joy, and success—rather than focusing solely on the outcomes. For him, living through all these emotions is far more important than the results.