Kal Penn to Irrfan Khan’s son Babil: Knowing your father during The Namesake was part of my artistic happiness
Irrfan Khan’s son Babil Khan says he was left speechless after receiving the sweetest message from the actor’s ‘onscreen son’, Kal Penn, about how his late father brought him his greatest artistic happiness when they collaborated on Mira Nair’s 2006 drama The Namesake.
Babil on Saturday posted an Instagram story of a message that Kal Penn wrote to him, which seemed like a response to a note that the youngster sent him about The Namesake. Kal Penn, in the message, thanked Babil for reaching out to him and said that The Namesake was the project that he was “most proud of” and that Irrfan played a huge role in it.
Babil shared Kal Penn’s message to him about Irrfan and his experience of working on The Namesake. (Photo: Babil/Instagram)
“Babil, I’m so moved that you reached out and it means so much to me to hear that story. Thank you. The Namesake is the project I’m most proud of, the one that brought me the greatest artistic happiness – and getting to work with and know your father was such a big part of that. (I think I met you and your brother in Calcutta when we were filming),” the House star wrote. Kal further wrote that he had thought of Babil and his family a lot since Irrfan’s demise in April 2020, but wasn’t certain how to share his feelings with them. Kal asked the upcoming actor to meet him the next time he visits New York.
“I’ve thought of you two and your mom a lot this past year and wasn’t sure how to get in touch to share my love and gratitude. It really means so much to me that you reached you. Thank you! Let me know if you’re ever in New York post pandemic,” Penn wrote. Overwhelmed with the message, Babil stated that he couldn’t frame a reply to the actor. “What is happening? How to write a reply when you’re speechless?” Babil wrote, captioning the Instagram story.
The Namesake, also starring Tabu, was based on Jhumpa Lahiri’s novel of the same name. The film depicted the struggles of a couple (Irrfan and Tabu), first generation immigrants of Bengal to the US and their American-born kids, played by Kal Penn and Sahira Nair.
