
NEW DELHI (AP) 鈥 Irrfan Khan, a veteran character actor in Bollywood movies and one of India’s best-known exports to Hollywood, has died. He was 53.
Khan played the police inspector in 鈥淪lumdog Millionaire鈥 and the park executive Masrani in 鈥淛urassic World.鈥 He also appeared in 鈥淭he Amazing Spider-Man鈥 and the adventure fantasy 鈥淟ife of Pi.鈥
Khan died Wednesday after being admitted to Mumbai鈥檚 Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital with a colon infection.
鈥淚rrfan was a strong soul, someone who fought till the very end and always inspired everyone who came close to him,鈥 a statement released by the actor鈥檚 team said.
Khan made his screen debut in the Academy Award-nominated 1988 drama 鈥淪alaam Bombay!,鈥 a tale of Mumbai鈥檚 street children. He later worked with directors Mira Nair, Wes Anderson and Ang Lee.
Khan in 2018 was diagnosed with a rare neuroendocrine cancer and underwent months of treatment in the United Kingdom.
鈥淚 trust, I have surrendered,鈥 he wrote in a heartfelt note after he broke the news of his battle with cancer.
Khan won a number of film awards in India, including a 2012 Indian National Film Award for best actor for his performance in 鈥淧aan Singh Tomar,鈥 a compelling tale of a seven-time national champion athlete who quit India鈥檚 armed forces to rule the Chambal ravines in central India.
Khan received an Independent Spirit Award for supporting actor in 2006 for the Indian-American drama 鈥淭he Namesake鈥 and a viewers鈥 choice award at the Cannes festival 2013 for his role in the Indian romantic drama 鈥淭he Lunchbox.鈥
Khan also starred in the Hamlet-inspired 鈥淗aider,鈥 a Bollywood film set in militarized Himalayan Kashmir.
Tributes came from Bollywood, including from fellow actor Amitabh Bachchan, who said Khan was an 鈥渋ncredible talent鈥 and 鈥渁 prolific contributor to the World of Cinema.鈥
Khan 鈥渓eft us too soon,鈥 Bachchan wrote on Twitter.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that 鈥淜han鈥檚 demise is a loss to the world of cinema and theatre.鈥
In an interview with The Associated Press in 2018, Khan said: 鈥淚鈥檝e seen life from a completely different angle. You sit down and you see the other side and that鈥檚 fascinating. I鈥檓 engaged on a journey.鈥
Khan’s last Bollywood movie, 鈥淎ngrezi Medium,鈥 a sequel to one of his biggest hits, 鈥淗indi Medium鈥 (2017), was released before India went into a lockdown in March because of the coronavirus pandemic.
He is survived by his wife, television writer and producer Sutapa Sikdar, and sons, Babil and Ayan.
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.