Irrfan Khan: Salman Khan, Virat Kohli are not youth icons

Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan has floored us with his acting skills, time and again. But his recent statement has truly bowled over his fans. The Khan known for his acerbic tongue has spoken about the celebrities who are touted as youth icons. His view on the matter is something most of us will agree upon.

The ‘Lunchbox’ actor has revealed his definition of a true hero. He insisted that movie stars such as Salman Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Shah Rukh Khan and others along with cricketers like Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni should not be considered as youth icons.

Recently in a interview with Times Of India, Irrfan Khan vied to be different on the subject. He said, “Just because I am famous, you aspire to become me – that’s not cool, that’s pathetic. It pains me when a film actor or a cricketer is a youth icon. I don’t have anything against them. They are great entertainers; they are useful to the society. They contribute to people’s lives. But they are not heroes.”

Irrfan further added, “We haven’t redefined heroes. Heroes are different people. Heroes are people who sacrifice their own concerns and do something bigger, who change people’s lives. We film stars and cricketers shouldn’t be aspirational in such a big way for the healthy growth of the society. It’s a sign of consumerism at its extreme.”

His views on the definition of youth icons lie on these lines. He said, “I find it so cool and so hip to see that photograph of the women scientists of ISRO celebrating a launch. That’s heroism. That’s cool, that’s hip!”

Irrfan Khan will next be seen opposite Pakistani actor Saba Qamar in her Bollywood debut film, ‘Hindi Medium’.

Also Read: First Look of Irrfan Khan and Pakistani beauty Saba Qamar starrer ‘Hindi Medium’