Friendship Day: Tigmanshu Dhulia says in front of 'his only friend' Irrfan Khan he could be himself

Filmmaker Tigmanshu Dhulia reflects on his lifelong bond with late actor Irrfan on International Friendship Day, remembering him as his ‘only frieni’.

Filmmaker Tigmanshu Dhulia and late actor Irrfan Khan met during their National School of Drama (NSD) days, and that’s where the foundation of their lifelong bond was laid. “I joined NSD in 1986 and he (Irrfan) was in the third year. Apni jodi bass bann gayi, and we both grew in our personal and professional lives together,” Dhulia, 56, shares as he remembers his ‘support system’ on International Friendship Day today.

Tigmanshu Dhulia with his friend and actor Irrfan during the shoot of Haansil (2003).

Irrfan, who died in April 2020, had once said in an interview about Tigmanshu Dhulia, “Mera bahut aziz hai woh aur iklauta dost hai. Har janam mein main uska dost bana rahunga (He is very special to me, and my only friend. I will be his friend in every life).”

Tigmanshu Dhulia on Irrfan, his ‘only friend’

With mutual feelings and a heavy heart, Tigmanshu Dhulia shares with us, “Mera bhi koi dost ab bacha nahin hai... He was the only one jo meri saari galtiyon aur kamzoriyon ko jaanta tha (I have no friend left now, he knew all mu mistakes and weaknesses). He knew all my plus and minus points. In front of him, I could just be myself. Now, when he has left us, it’s not an age when you make new friends.”

Irrfan would catch Tigmanshu's mistakes

The two first worked together in the TV serial Naya Daur (1995). They went on to do several projects together, from Dhulia’s directorial film debut Haasil to the National Award-winning Paan Singh Tomar (2012) and Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns (2013). “He used to catch my mistakes at once. He had the ability to peep inside me and say everything to my face. Uske saamne main kuch lambi-lambi haank nahin paata tha... Par ab apni kamzoriyon ko chupaate hi rahunga as I can’t share with anyone (I could never show off in front of him, now I can't share anything with anyone),” Dhulia signs off.