Maharashtra ministers mourn death of Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan

The country on Wednesday lost one of the most talented actor, Irrfan Khan passed away at the age of 53. He was suffering from a rare form of cancer and died in a Mumbai hospital on Wednesday.

Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Wednesday expressed grief over the death of the immensely talented actor Irrfan Khan, saying he immortalised various roles with his passionate acting.

Irrfan Khan's demise is a loss to the world of Hindi cinema, the governor said in his condolence message.

"Irrfan Khan was a talented actor who was sensitive to the concerns of society. Known for his versatility, Irrfan Khan immortalised various roles in films and television serials with his passionate acting," he said.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray also condoled Khan's death, saying he was a hard-working and multifaceted artist whose journey from the Indian cinema to Hollywood was a inspiration to struggling actors. "He has been snatched away despite putting up a valiant fight against the rare form of cancer," he said, adding that Khan accepted the reality of his diagnosis and faced the treatment bravely.

"He was not only a hardworking and multifaceted artist, but also a fine personality," Thackeray said.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said the actors death has come as a big shock to the Indian film industry. Khan was a powerful actor, sensible person and a fighter, he said.