Irrfan made son Babil take buses and rickshaws to school despite owning cars

Babil also spoke about the role his mother played while Irrfan spent long periods working on films.

Actor Babil Khan has recalled how his father, the late Irrfan Khan, made him travel to school using public transport even when the family owned several cars. The journey involved buses, ferries and rickshaws, with Babil having to change his mode of transport at least three times.

In a recent conversation, he also spoke about the lessons he learnt from his father and how his mother, writer Sutapa, made sure she was present for important moments in his childhood when Irrfan was away shooting.Speaking to filmmaker Farah Khan in an episode of her vlog, Babil looked back at his upbringing and the values his parents tried to instill in him. Recalling his father's approach to everyday life, he said, “Baba had interests in many different areas.

The way he lived his life, I have never seen anybody stick to their values so courageously and fearlessly. It is rare.” He added, “From Baba, I have learned endurance and, especially, spiritual endurance.

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5 Oct 2026 | 12:06

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Why Irrfan made Babil use public transport despite owning cars

Babil pointed out that his father was often away for work.

Babil recalled questioning his father about why he had to travel to school by public transport when the family had cars. “You have so many cars, why can't I go to school in one of them?” he remembered asking Irrfan. But his father wanted him to take buses, ferries and rickshaws instead.

Babil said he had to change between these modes of transport at least three times, if not more, to reach school.Farah, amused by the account, asked him, “At what time did you reach school?” Babil replied that he would often reach when football practice was already underway. He nevertheless spoke appreciatively of the way his parents handled his upbringing, saying, “They have helped me without making me feel burdened.”

How Sutapa made sure she was present when Irrfan was away shooting

Image courtesy: Instagram/@babil.i.k

Babil also spoke about the role his mother played while Irrfan spent long periods working on films. Farah praised Sutapa for supporting the actor during his struggling years and for raising their two sons.Babil pointed out that his father was often away for work. “Baba used to shoot for eight months a year. Who used to come for my sports day or annual day?” he asked.He then recalled an incident from Class 11, when he made a film with his friends.

Irrfan was unable to attend the event because he was shooting. Babil said both he and his father felt hurt that he could not be there. It was Sutapa who attended and represented the family in the audience.Farah related the situation to her own family, saying, “Because I shoot a lot, teachers only know Shirish.” Her remark referred to her husband, Shirish Kunder, who often attends school-related events when she is working.The exchange highlighted how the two parents played different but complementary roles in Babil's childhood. While Irrfan's work kept him away for extended periods, Sutapa was present at occasions that mattered to their son.

Irrfan Khan's life and the lessons Babil remembers

Irrfan Khan, known for films such as The Lunchbox, Maqbool and Paan Singh Tomar, died in April 2020 at the age of 53. He had revealed in 2018 that he was being treated for a rare neuroendocrine tumour and spent about a year undergoing treatment in the UK.

He was admitted to hospital with a colon infection and died on April 29, 2020.Babil's comments came during Farah's visit to the family's Mumbai home, where the actor spoke about his parents and the influence they had on him. His account of the school commute and his mother's presence at school events offers a personal look at how he remembers their parenting: one shaped by his father's insistence on living by his values and his mother's steady involvement in his everyday life.