Those doubting the progress of Indian actors will be largely surprised to find out that Irrfan Khan has been nominated for ‘Best Supporting Actor’ for Mira Nair’s The Namesake. The award up for grabs is an Independent Spirit Award, one of the most prestigious amongst independent film makers. The ceremony is usually held a few days before the Oscars and sometimes serves as an indication as to who will win an Academy Award that year.
Irrfan is nominated amongst fellow great actors including Steve Zahn. Also nominated for awards at the ceremony are Angelina Jolie, Cate Blanchett, Don Cheadle and Phillip Seymour Hoffman. On his latest achievement, Irrfan says, “he Spirit award is to me every bit as prestigious as the Oscars. Unlike the Oscars it’s a totally independent award based entirely on merit rather than lobbying. So whoever gets nominated gets in there solely by merit. I’m honoured to be rubbing shoulders with the likes of Don Cheadle, Frank Langella and Philip Seymour Hoffman.”
Let’s hope for the best.
