The late Irrfan Khan, a celebrated actor who passed away in April 2020, left an indelible mark on cinema with his memorable performances. His final on-screen appearance was in Homi Adajania's "Angrezi Medium," released shortly before his death. Now, costume designer Smriti Chauhan has revealed the immense physical challenges Khan faced during the filming of his last movie.

In a recent episode of Unfolding Talents (UT) on Digital Commentary, Chauhan reflected on her experience working with Irrfan Khan on "Angrezi Medium". She recalled noticing his declining health as the shoot progressed. "He was in a lot of pain when we were shooting Angrezi Medium," Chauhan shared. She added, "He only told me one thing, 'Smriti, I get very cold'," recounting his request for warmers from a specific London brand.

Chauhan noted that Irrfan Khan visibly weakened as filming continued. "During the shoot of the film also he kept shrinking," she said. The costume team had to add significant padding to his clothes to maintain his appearance on screen. "Even though we gave him a lot of layers, we still had to add a lot of padding," she explained. Even scenes requiring minimal clothing demanded additional padding to ensure consistency in his appearance, as his strength was steadily fading. For the summer scenes, where he wore only a vest, concealed layers were carefully added.

Despite these efforts, Irrfan's illness was evident. His family remained close by on set, providing support. There were times when Irrfan had to take breaks during filming because his body couldn't handle the strain. Chauhan also recounted days when shooting had to be canceled altogether because Irrfan was unable to reach the set due to the severity of his pain.

Despite battling neuroendocrine cancer, Irrfan Khan remained dedicated to his craft. Chauhan recalled Irrfan's unwavering spirit: "He was in that much pain and I think he believed that this is what I live for and I, probably, want to just die doing this and I think he did that". His commitment to acting shone through, even as his health deteriorated.

Irrfan Khan's performance in "Angrezi Medium" serves as a testament to his dedication and passion for cinema. Despite the immense pain and physical challenges he faced, he persevered, leaving behind a powerful and moving final performance. Smriti Chauhan's insights offer a glimpse into the difficult circumstances surrounding the film's production and highlight Irrfan Khan's extraordinary resilience and commitment to his art.