Nandita Das Instagram – I am still unable to fathom, let alone express the loss I feel at the sudden demise of Irrfan and Rishiji. Just too shocking and sad. Having worked with both I can vouch that they were not only brilliant actors but also amazing human beings. I worked with Irrfan in Supari many years ago and I still remember the conversations we had. His brilliance has left a deep impact on me. And Rishiji’s generosity, humour and warmth are still so fresh in my mind. I am sharing a short excerpt about him that I wrote in my book, Manto and I : I have enjoyed many performances by Rishi Kapoor over the years, but while casting, there was no character that I instinctively felt would befit him. I reached out to him at the behest of one of the producers, asthey felt his presence would attract more audiences. So, they fixed a meeting with Rishiji. It was strange to meet him without knowing which role I was goingto request him to do. The minute I entered, he warned me, “I don’t do guest appearances anymore.” But I only had a guest appearance to offer. I candidly confessed that my reason for wanting his support was that his talent andpopularity would help the film reach a wider audience. As I began reading outpart after part, I was hoping to find the one that would be the right fit. He must have been shocked by my audacity! To my surprise, he generously agreed to do the ‘guest appearance’ of a sleazy producer. He had seen many of them in his earlier days and was happy to recreate the character with me. So, there he was on the sets of Manto. A seasoned actor, he gave his all, even for the six-hourshoot. I hope to do more justice to his talent and stature in a future film.’ When I wrote that, I didn’t imagine that there would never be another film with him. I will treasure both their messages, and of course their memories. They will be missed sorely. #rishikapoor #irrfankhan