Actor Babil Khan, son of the late screen legend Irrfan Khan, has found an unlikely companion in managing the weight of his famous surname — golf. The 27-year-old was spotted taking time off from a shoot in the scenic valley of Pahalgam to play the sport, and opened up about why the game has become central to his mental and professional equilibrium.

Why Golf, Why Now

Babil spoke candidly about what drew him to the fairways at a pivotal moment in his life. 'When life came to a point where immense pressure was needed to refine me to the next stage of my evolution, I started looking for tools to help that progress. I found golf in that search,' he said.

The actor elaborated on the philosophical overlap between the sport and the demands of his career. 'The disposition needed to play golf is also, at a grander stage, needed to handle the pressure of taking upon a legacy so big and being an actor in the lineage I come from,' he added.

The Three Essentials He Swears By

Babil distilled his approach to golf — and, by extension, his craft — into three core disciplines. 'The three essentials needed to play golf are practice, focus and surrender, which help me understand and navigate my own refinement,' he wrote. According to reports, what began as a newfound interest during breaks in his shooting schedule has gradually evolved into a meaningful personal pursuit.

From Camera Assistant to Lead Actor

Babil's journey in the film industry has been deliberate and methodical. He began behind the camera as an assistant on the Bollywood production Qarib Qarib Single. He made his acting debut in 2022 with director Anvita Dutt's psychological drama Qala, opposite Triptii Dimri — a project that announced him as a performer with considerable range.

In 2023, he appeared in Friday Night Plan, playing the son of veteran actress Juhi Chawla's character Siddharth Menon. He followed that with a prominent role in the acclaimed web series The Railway Men — a dramatisation of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy — alongside Divyendu Sharma, Kay Kay Menon, and R. Madhavan.

A Personal Struggle in the Public Eye

Babil's path has not been without turbulence. In May 2025, he deleted his Instagram profile after sharing — and subsequently removing — a video in which he appeared visibly distressed. The episode drew widespread concern from fans and peers alike. His candid conversation about golf and legacy now signals a more grounded, introspective phase as he continues to carve his own identity in Indian cinema.

With a new project currently in production in Pahalgam, Babil Khan appears to be channelling both the scenic calm of the Kashmir valley and the disciplined philosophy of golf into what may be the most defining chapter of his young career.