Riz Ahmed remembers Irrfan Khan in Gotham Awards acceptance speech

Riz Ahmed, who was chosen Best Actor at the 30th annual Gotham Awards on Monday night, remembered Irrfan Khan in his acceptance speech. The ceremony was a hybrid event with a mix of physical and virtual speeches taking place in New York City.

Ahmed plays drummer Reuben Stone who is losing his hearing in the Amazon Prime feature directed by Darius Marder. In his acceptance speech, he singled out Khan and Black Panther (2019) actor Chadwick Boseman as those whose deaths had an impact on him last year.

“I also want to mention Irrfan Khan, the great, tremendous actor who we lost this year whose words ring in my ears right now in these uncertain times." he said. "One of his words I always think of is surrender to the dance of uncertainty.”

Last April, after Khan’s untimely death, Ahmed had paid tribute to his legacy, writing: A true artist who spanned Bollywood and Hollywood and was acclaimed in both. His words in a letter to a newspaper about his illness are a reminder of his beautiful mind and of life’s fragility. His work will live on.

Ahmed and Khan never acted in any projects together, but the rapper-turned-actor has often cited the Indian actor as an inspiration in his interviews.