Irrfan’s Maqbool

Directed by: Vishal Bhardwaj

Based on Macbeth by William Shakespeare

Starring a stream of wonderful actors: Irrfan, Tabu, Pankaj Kapur, Om Puri, Naseeruddin Shah, Piyush Mishra, Deepak Dobriyal

Language: Hindi

I watched Maqbool and as expected; it blew me away. It devastated me that how can anyone be so brilliant and real, can he ever act bad? But if the answer is yes, then that’s not the Irrfan we have known.

Every actor in the film has acted in their best calibre, but I dedicate this post to my utter favorite, Irrfan. Every scene of his, the movements, the way he looks at Tabu, his eyes, his entire body is acting and not just the face and that is what I feel is the biggest achievement for any artist. There are so many scenes in the film which are my top favorites. One, where Nimmi is dancing to the song “Jhin Min Jhini” and when she catches Maqbool, she stops him from running and asks to find his name on her Mehndi. Maqbool compliments her dancing. If you haven’t noticed Irrfan’s expression while he compliments Tabu’s character, then I’ll ask you to rematch the scene again as it’s everything. The way he raises his eyebrows, followed by his eyes looking sideways, makes this one my favorites.

*Spoiler alert* The mentions of the favorites are incomplete without mentioning Nimmi’s (Tabu) death scene. The devastation and helplessness of Maqbool in this very scene is so well-portrayed by Irrfan. The scene where he murders Abbaji (Pankaj Kapoor) and how unbelievable his expressions were. Honestly, there is no scene of him in the film, which is less than a credible masterstroke.

Once in a lifetime, we get to see actors like him, and I am grateful I got to witness his extraordinary brilliance. When I look at him I’m reminded of how truly magical the world is, with uncertainties hanging like a sword over our heads, but this should not refrain us from living our life to the fullest. So, live while you have the chance and do what you desire for.

For years to come, I will remember him for his work, his kindness, the depth of emotions his eyes showed, and the hope he ignited in all of us, the so-called dreamers.

You can watch the film on Hotstar.

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