Two
months
after
the
release
of
Irrfan
Khan's
latest
international
film
Darjeeling
Limited
which
was
shot
in
India,
the
verdict
is
out.
In
a
brief
role,
the
fast-rising
Indian
actor
has
beaten
his
well-known
co-stars
namely
Owen
Wilson,
Jason
Schwartzman
and
Adrien
Brody
who
play
brothers.
While
the
reviews
have
largely
panned
the
film
and
performances,
Irrfan
has
been
singled
out
for
praise.
Says
the
London
Times
reviewer,
"There's
only
one
performance
that
rings
true
in
this
shambolic
odyssey.
It's
incidental
and
it's
played
by...Irrfan
Khan." But
the
downsized
part
could
be
a
downer
for
the
actor's
fans.
The
international
audience
which
warmed
up
to
Irrfan's
scintillating
performance
in
Mira
Nair's
The
Namesake
and
Michael
Winterbottom's
A
Mighty
Heart,
are
disappointed
by
the
length
of
Irrfan's
role
in
his
new
international
film,
the
British
director
Wes
Anderson's
just
released
comedy
Darjeeling
Limited
on
brotherly
bonding.
Believe
it
or
faint,
but
Irrfan
who
now
wants
to
do
only
centralized
characters,
has
a
walk-on
part
.How
come?
Irrfan
currently
shooting
dangerous
stunts
for
Neeraj
Pandey's
Black
Or
White,
is
unfazed.
"Yes,
the
role
in
Darjeeling
Limited
is
small.
But
it's
a
very
decisive
moment
in
the
script
and
the
critics
have
loved
my
work." In
fact,
the
British
critic
James
Christopher
from
The
Times
has
singled
out
only
Irrfan
for
praise
in
what
he
calls
a
dissapopinting
comedy.
"Yes,
that
felt
good,"
Irrfan
grins
about
the
critical
approval.
"Even
an
actor
of
Bill
Murray's
stature
has
a
walk-on
part
in
Darjeeling
Limited.
So
I
see
no
reason
for
audiences
or
me
to
feel
let
down.
I
did
it
with
my
eyes
open.
I
wanted
to
work
with
director
Wes
Anderson
ever
since
I
saw
his
earlier
comedy
Rushmore.
And
do
you
know?
He
wrote
the
role
especially
for
me."
Irrfan
sure
has
come
a
long
way.
"I
don't
know
about
that," he
shrugs.
"For
me
international
recognition
isn't
a
be-all.
I'm
currently
shooting
with
Sunny
Deol
and
it's
a
dream-come-true
for
me
to
be
working
with
him."
Story first published: Wednesday, January 9, 2008, 11:42 [IST]