Never faced discrimination over accent, says Hindi Medium actor Irrfan Khan

New delhi: Actor Irrfan Khan, who balances his work in the international and Indian film world, says he has never faced discrimination over his accent.

Often, Indian actors who work in films abroad flaunt an unnatural accent in English for their international projects. Has Irrfan had any issues as such?

“No. Fortunately, when I did my first international film, I had to play a Bengali in it and had to have an accent. And there were some films for which I had to acquire a foreign accent. Bengali was as important to me as an American accent. I had to do it,” he said.

“Every time you have to adapt to the where the character is from and you have to adapt to his accent. It’s a part of the job. Whether you’re doing a Paan Singh Tomar or whatever… As an actor, accent is something you have to acquire. It’s not about Indian or American accent,” Irrfan told IANS here.

“If it’s needed for a project, I acquire it… But I haven’t faced discrimination (over it),” he added.
The actor, who has earlier featured in foreign films like A Mighty Heart, The Namesake, Slumdog Millionaire, The Amazing Spider-Man, Life of Pi and Jurassic World.

Soon, he will fly out to New York to shoot his next Hollywood movie Puzzle. The film will be helmed by Big Beach’s co-partner Turtletaub.

It is an adaptation of the Argentine film Rompecabezas. It was directed by Natalia Smirnoff and came out in 2010. It was nominated for the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival.

Nowadays, Irrfan Khan is busy promoting his forthcoming Bollywood film Hindi Medium these days. It will release on 19th May 2017.

IANS