Referred to as one of the finest actors today by experts and critics alike,Irrfan Khan truely deserves to be explored more. This answer about the strange facts about Irfan Khan is a small token of respect to him.
- Irrfan wanted to be a cricketer of which his parents were disapproving. Call it luck that he got a scholarship for NSD ( National school of drama) while pursuing M.A. in Jaipur. And he lied about past theatre experience to get into NSD. Meaning he became an actor by chance.
- He was chosen by Mira Nair in Salaam Bombay when he was in his final year in NSD(1988).
- He was a TV regular from 1994 to 98. He got so bored then that had it not been for Asif Kapadia's Warrior, Irfan would have quit acting and gone into oblivion.
- His real name is Sahabzade Irfan Ali Khan. He was born in a village of Tonk in Jaipur in a well off family with royal connections.
- He added an extra r in his name and hence the name Irrfan now.
- At 6 feet 1 inch,Irrfan is one of the tallest actors in Bollywood.
- The Lunchbox(which starred Irrfan as the lead) is the only Indian movie to have ever won a TFCA(Toronto Film Critics Association) award.
- He was offered a big role in Interstellar. He turned it down because he was required to stay in USA for 4 months at a stretch for the same.(Courage!).
- He did a cameo in spider man 2012. He might now play the full fledged buddy in spider man 2016.( can't wait).
- He's been detained twice at Los Angeles airport because his name is similar to a terror suspect. "Now they recognise me" he joked once.
- He has this wish of gifting his mother a suitcase full of money.
- He reads a lot. Almost one Hollywood script per week to understand his role better.
- Irrfan's father used to tease him by saying that he's a Brahmin boy born in a Pathan family just because he disliked eating meat and hunting.
- In his initial days as a struggler, he used to draw inspiration from Manoj Kumar and Naseeruddin Shah.
- Irrfan had a shy and introvert nature while in school. He was once asked to sing and he couldn't utter a word back then.(his teachers and friends must have had heart attacks by now).
He sure was destined to rule bollywood. He came, saw and conquered.Hats off big time!
Source: the Internet.