BTS from Irrfan's unreleased directorial Alvida featuring Nawazuddin goes viral
Irrfan's wife Sutapa Sikdar has shared an emotional behind-the-scenes video from his unreleased directorial Alvida. The clip features Nawazuddin Siddiqui and offers a rare glimpse into Irrfan's work as a filmmaker.
An emotional behind-the-scenes video from Irrfan’s unreleased directorial project Alvida, shared by his wife Sutapa Sikdar, has gone viral online, offering a rare look at the late actor’s creative vision as a filmmaker. The footage, which also features Nawazuddin Siddiqui, has sparked renewed interest in Irrfan’s lesser-known work behind the camera.
Sharing the video on Instagram, Sutapa Sikdar wrote, “Irrfan and I produced this little gem . A leprosy film I wrote and irrfan turned it into a beautiful love story."
She further added,"@nawazuddin._siddiqui was very new to industry at that time I remember him saying ‘ji ji ‘ at everything .. our junior from nsd . It was a small setup big dreams bigger passion shared by @irrfan @shailjask @itssadiyasiddiqui @littsavvy @babil.i.k (he had no other choice but to accompany us ) #alvida#irrfankhan # memories."
Watch the video here:
Giving additional context through the video, text featured in the clip reflected on Irrfan Khan’s transition from actor to director and the making of Alvida, a project co-produced with the BBC.
It also highlighted how he envisioned storytelling with restraint and collaborated with a small but passionate team, including cinematographer Rafey Mehmood and actors such as Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Sadiya Siddiqui.
The text in the video read:
"Everyone knows Irrfan as an actor. A great actor. I hated actors when I met him. I found them narcissistic. Married to mirrors. Though much later I discovered that's their tool the face and they need to see it again and again."
"But much later decade later I adored him as a director. He had a strong vision. And contrary to many directors I met at that time in television he believed in less. He directed a star best seller. The flavour of that time. It was coproduced by BBC and it was called ALVIDA. I wrote it and it was a film about leprosy."
"Our dear friend and an amazing cinematographer Rafey Mehmood shot it! And Nawazuddin Siddiqui acted in it. Along with Sadiya Sddiqui! So very few people know that Irrfan directed Nawazuddin Siddiqui. He was new fresh and till date my most favourite performance of Nawaz!"
The Last Tenant
Meanwhile, another long-lost project connected to Irrfan has also re-emerged. The Last Tenant, a nearly 25-year-old film featuring Irrfan and Vidya Balan, has been released on YouTube. The film, originally shot early in Vidya Balan’s career, remained shelved for over two decades before finally seeing the light of day.
The Last Tenant is written and directed by Sarthak Dasgupta and co-produced by him with Neena Dasgupta. The film was released this year as a tribute to Irrfan on his death anniversary, adding emotional weight to its long-awaited unveiling. Irrfan died on April 29, 2020.
According to director Dasgupta, the project was stuck in limbo for years and the original footage was lost, till a VHS copy resurfaced much later. Over time, Sarthak Dasgupta went on to build a career in filmmaking, directing projects such as Music Teacher, 200 Halla Ho, and the web series Dharavi Bank.