Irrfan Khan, The Amazing Spider-Man and Jurassic World Star, Dies at 53

The Amazing Spider-Man and Jurassic World star Irrfan Khan passed away Wednesday at the age of 53. The actor died from a medical complication arising from colon infection, Gulf News reports. In March 2018, the Bollywood star revealed he was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumor, an uncommon cancer type that can occur almost anywhere in the body. On Wednesday, Khan’s death was confirmed by a publicist and Khan’s Piku director Shoojit Sircar, who tweeted: “My dear friend Irfaan. You fought and fought and fought. I will always be proud of you.. we shall meet again.. condolences to Sutapa and Babil.. you too fought, Sutapa you gave everything possible in this fight. Peace and Om shanti. Irfaan Khan salute.”

“‘I trust, I have surrendered’, these were the some of the many words that Irrfan expressed in a heartfelt note he wrote in 2018 opening up about his fight with cancer. And a man of few words and an actor of silent expressions with his deep eyes and his memorable actions on screen,” Khan’s publicist said in a statement. “It’s saddening that this day, we have to bring forward the news of him passing away. Irrfan was a strong soul, someone who fought till the very end and always inspired everyone who came close to him. After having been struck by lightning in 2018 with the news of a rare cancer, he took life soon after as it came and he fought the many battles that came with it.”

“Surrounded by his love, his family for whom he most cared about, he left for heaven abode, leaving behind truly a legacy of his own. We all pray and hope that he is at peace,” the statement continues. “And to resonate and part with his words he had said, ‘As if I was tasting life for the first time, the magical side of it.’”

In addition to such Indian films as Paan Singh Tomar and The Lunchbox, Khan also starred in the Danny Boyle-directed Best Picture winner Slumdog Millionaire, director Ang Lee’s Life of Pi and blockbusters The Amazing Spider-Man, where he played Oscorp’s Dr. Rajit Ratha opposite Andrew Garfield and Rhys Ifan, and Jurassic World, where Khan played dinosaur theme park CEO Simon Masrani.

Responding on Twitter to news of Khan’s passing, Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow wrote he is “deeply sad” by the loss of 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,” Trevorrow wrote. “Here he is, laughing.”

Khan is survived by his wife, Sutapa Sikdar, and their sons, Babil and Ayan.