Irrfan Khan Dies

Actor Irrfan Khan has died at age 54, after an acclaimed film career 

 in India and on the international stage

Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan — a descendant of northern Indian royals, who acted in soap operas before starring in dozens of Hindi-language films and crossover hits like Slumdog Millionaire — has died in Mumbai at age 54. His spokesman, Ahmed Khan (no relation), confirmed the death to NPR.

The actor died Wednesday at a hospital in Mumbai, after being admitted for a colon infection. He had also undergone treatment for a rare type of neuroendocrine cancer.

"Irrfan was a strong soul, someone who fought till the very end and always inspired everyone who came close to him," the actor's team wrote in text messages to NPR and other news outlets. "He was strong in his fight, and we all have to be strong too in this loss."

Khan won four Filmfare awards — the Bollywood equivalent of Academy Awards. He played a police inspector in the 2008 British film Slumdog Millionaire, about a teenager from Mumbai's slums who competes on the Indian version of the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire TV game show.

Khan also starred in Hollywood productions, including Life of Pi, Jurassic World and The Amazing Spider-Man