"Gone too soon" was the common feeling echoing across film industries, as actors, directors and co-stars mourned Irrfan Khan's untimely death from a rare form of cancer in a Mumbai hospital on Wednesday.
Irrfan, one of India's finest and most versatile actors, was diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumour in 2018. He is survived by his wife Sutapa and his sons Babil and Ayaan.
Those who had worked with the actor, remembered his "warm smile" and "magical talent" in films as diverse as "Maqbool", "The Namesake", "Life of Pi", "Paan Singh Tomar", "Haasil" and others.
Amitabh Bachchan, who worked with Irrfan on Shoojit Sircar's 2015 film "Piku", said the news of the actor's death was "most disturbing and sad".
"An incredible talent... a gracious colleague... a prolific contributor to the World of Cinema... left us too soon," he posted on Twitter.
Sircar was among the first to break the news of Irrfan's death.
"My dear friend Irfaan, you fought and fought and fought. I will always be proud of you.. we shall meet again, he wrote.
Sharing a picture with Irrfan, Shah Rukh tweeted, "My friend...inspiration & the greatest actor of our times. Allah bless your soul Irrfan bhai...will miss you as much as cherish the fact that you were part of our lives... Love you."
Shah Rukh worked with Irrfan in "Billu".
Director Vishal Bhardwaj, who worked with the actor in three films including "Maqbool" and "Haider", said it felt like a part of him had died with Irrfan.
"I feared that he will be gone much before his time but didn't expect that it will be so devastating and ravaging to me personally. It feels as if I am torn into two parts. A part of me has died with him," Bhardwaj told PTI.
Both Salman and Aamir remembered Irrfan as a great actor who will live in people's hearts through his great body of work.
Hrithik Roshan said Irrfan was a "rare human" who showed what "being authentic truly meant.
Actor Kareena Kapoor Khan said it was an absolute honour to have worked with him in "Angrezi Medium".
Irrfan's "Hindi Medium" co-star Saba Qamar said Irrfan's untimely death was "deeply disturbing".
Director Anurag Basu, who worked with Irrfan in their early TV days and collaborated on "Life... in a Metro", said they were to work together again on the film's sequel.
"I was hoping he will pull it off because I had pulled through it," Basu, a cancer survivor, told PTI.
"This is unfortunate. I have done some of my best work in television with Irrfan. People just know that we worked in Life In a Metro'. I couldn't meet him, I am feeling bad. It was a long battle and he fought it alone away from everyone," he said.
Dulquer Salmaan, who had made his Bollywood debut with "Karwaan" opposite Irrfan, remembered the actor's humility.
South superstar Mahesh Babu, who shared the screen space with Irrfan in his only Telugu film "Sainikudu", wrote, "Deeply saddened by the news of #IrrfanKhan's untimely demise. A brilliant actor gone too soon."
Actor Mohanlal said he was saddened to hear about Irrfan's untimely death.
Music composer AR Rahman hailed Irrfan as "one of the greatest ambassadors of Indian cinema" and said the actor, who starred in "Slumdog Millionaire", has "gone too soon."
Veteran actor Dharmendra recalled his occasional meetings with "The Namesake" actor.
Director in charge of National School of Drama, Suresh Sharma, recalled how the actor went on to become a global star after graduating in 1987.
Director Mahesh Bhatt, who worked with Irrfan in "Rog", said they had met after his diagnosis.
"The warmth of your smile will forever linger my friend. Alvida dost," he wrote.
Priyanka Chopra, who worked with Irrfan in "Saat Khoon Maaf", said the actor paved the way forward for many like her.
"The charisma you brought to everything you did was pure magic. Your talent forged the way for so many in so many avenues.. You inspired so many of us."
Filmmaker Karan Johar said as an artiste, Irrfan raised the bar of Indian cinema and he will "terribly" miss him.
"Thank you for those indelible movie memories....thank you for raising the bar as an artist ...thank you for enriching our cinema," Johar tweeted.
Ajay Devgn, who shared the screen with Irrfan in 2008 ensemble comedy "Sunday", said Irrfan's untimely demise was heartbreaking and an irreparable loss to Indian cinema.
Nimrat Kaur, Irrfan's co-star in the internationally acclaimed "The Lunchbox", said she was "heartbroken".
Kamal Haasan said Irrfan's work left him in awe.
"Too soon to leave @irrfank Ji. Your work always left me in awe. You're one of the finest actors I know, I wish you stayed longer. You deserved more time.
Hollywood director Ava DuVernay said she was a "grateful fan of" Irrfan Khan.
"Gone too soon. When he is on screen, you can't take your eyes off of him. He lives on in his films," she tweeted.
Director Colin Trevorrow, who worked with Irrfan in Jurassic World", recalled his last conversation with the actor in an emotional tweet.
"A thoughtful man who found beauty in the world around him, even in pain. In our last correspondence, he asked me to remember the wonderful aspects of our existence' in the darkest of days. Here he is, laughing, he wrote alongside Irrfan's picture from Angrezi Medium'.
British actor Riz Ahmed said Irrfan was an inspiration for artistes like him.
Rest in peace one of the greatest actors of our time, Irrfan Khan. I never met him but he was an inspiration and a hero to me and millions of others, he wrote.
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