Sutapa Sikdar with Irrfan Khan in a throwback (courtesy babil.i.k )

New Delhi:

“Baba liked it wild,” wrote late actor Irrfan Khan’s son Babil in an Instagram post. Babil was responding to comments about Irrfan Khan’s grave looking “unkempt,” after a photo went viral over the weekend. Irrfan Khan’s wife Sutapa Sikdar, in one of her recent Facebook posts about Irrfan Khan, was told that the actor’s grave looks like a “trash dumpster”, citing the viral photo. Sutapa was also asked if she actually planted the ‘Raat Ki Rani’ (Night-Blooming Jasmine) as a tribute to Irrfan as she said she would. Responding to the comment, Sutapa Sikdar wrote an emotional note, clarifying she has created a special shrine dedicated to Irrfan Khan in Igatpuri, Nashik. “Women are not allowed in Muslim graveyards. Hence, I have planted the Raat Ki Rani in Igatpuri where I have a memory stone of his… where I have buried his fav things. I own that place where I can sit for hours without any one telling me I can’t sit next to him. He is there in his spirit.” Irrfan Khan died in Mumbai on April 29. He was buried at the Versova Muslim Kabrastan.

In her comment, Sutapa added: “But that doesn’t mean the graveyard shouldn’t be tended… but as far as how is a very questionable thing… The wild plants, grass have grown in rains. It’s wild and beautiful is what I saw in the photo you are mentioning. It rains and plants come and they wither in the next season and then one can clean it. Why should everything be exactly as per definition? And the plants have grown may be for a purpose… look closely.”

Meanwhile, in a post on Monday night, Babil shared a bunch of photos of his younger brother Ayaan at Irrfan Khan’s grave and wrote: Baba liked it wild, Ayaan is staying strong. Mamma recently wrote about the wilderness around when some of his fans were worried that it looked unkempt, I need you to understand, he always always wished to be surrounded by the grass and the plants and the trees. Waste and plastic is always removed from that wilderness.” He also shared Sutapa Sikdar’s response, saying: “Here’s what my beautiful Mamma wrote.”

After Irrfan Khan’s death, a family statement released by Sutapa Sikdar, Ayaan and Babil said: “Tears will flow as we will plant a Raat Ki Rani tree, his favourite, to the place where you have put him to rest after a victorious journey. It takes time but it will bloom and the fragrance will spread and touch all the souls whom I won’t call them fans but family for years to come.”