Long before he became a global cinematic icon, was a mainstay of 1990s Indian television, with his most recognizable early breakthrough coming in the fantasy epic Chandrakanta . Broadcast on DD National between 1994 and 1996, the show was a cultural phenomenon that introduced Irrfan to millions as the "Aiyyar" brothers, Badrinath and Somnath . The Dual Role: Badrinath and Somnath
This role is considered a significant milestone in Irrfan Khan’s early career. irrfan khan in chandrakanta
Irrfan Khan played the character of , who was the twin brother of the main protagonist, Virendra Singh. Long before he became a global cinematic icon,
This dual role allowed Irrfan to showcase the intense, brooding screen presence that would eventually become his trademark. Despite the show's high-fantasy setting—complete with black magic and exaggerated villains like Kroor Singh—Irrfan’s performance remained grounded and memorable. The Struggle Behind the Scenes Irrfan Khan played the character of , who
It’s almost jarring to go back and watch it now. The show is a riot of primary colours, tinsel, and theatrical villainy—a world of tillism and jaadugars , where crocodiles lurk in moats and every evil uncle has a cackle that could peel paint. In this fever dream, Irrfan plays a courtier. A henchman. A man in the background.
Look closely at the scenes he’s in. While the lead actors are busy declaiming their lines to the back row of the studio, Irrfan is doing something quieter, stranger, and far more modern. He is thinking . His eyes, even in that garish costume, hold a private calculation. A flicker of doubt. A sliver of boredom. He moves like a man who knows he’s not the hero of this story, but is determined to be the hero of his own corner of it.