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‘Irrfan Khan lost his cool, abused Om Puri and Naseeruddin Shah’: Deepak Dobriyal recalls shooting with the legends on Maqbool

Deepak Dobriyal recalled an anecdote from the shooting of Maqbool, where Irrfan Khan briefly lost his cool on legends Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri.

3 min readMumbaiUpdated: Oct 26, 2025 06:44 PM IST

Irrfan Khan is still remembered for his performance in Maqbool.

Maqbool, starring Irrfan Khan, was an adaptation of Macbeth.

Vishal Bhardwaj’s Maqbool is considered a landmark film for many reasons. Not just in terms of cinematic legacy, but also for the careers of the actors associated with it. For Irrfan Khan, despite having delivered a series of layered, masterful performances over the years, Maqbool remains a defining moment, with many still calling it his finest work. The film, adapted from Shakespeare’s Macbeth, brought together a powerhouse of talent, Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapur, Om Puri, Tabu, Piyush Mishra, and even gave space to newer names at the time, like Deepak Dobriyal, who despite limited screen time, made his presence felt.

In an exclusive conversation with SCREEN, Deepak Dobriyal fondly recalled his experience of working on Maqbool and learning from the veterans on set. He also shared a candid behind-the-scenes anecdote that highlighted Irrfan’s intense commitment to his craft. “There was a scene where Kaka (Piyush Mishra) gets killed, and his body is brought to Irrfan bhai’s house,” Dobriyal recalled. “As Irrfan bhai starts mourning, someone asks Om Puri saab where he found the body. And he says, ‘In the backyard of the haveli.’ But the way he pronounced ‘haveli’ made everyone laugh. The scene had to be cut. Vishal sir even told him, ‘There’s a bit of a Punjabi touch in your delivery.’”

What followed was an impromptu comedy session. Deepak remembered how Om Puri began giving deliberately exaggerated Punjabi versions of the word haveli, and even Naseeruddin Shah joined in. “A lot of fun was going on,” he said. “But the scene wasn’t coming together. One after the other, many takes happened.” Irrfan, deeply immersed in the emotional intensity of the scene, was visibly affected by the repeated breaks. “You could see it was bothering Irrfan bhai. He was in character, fully present. But no one had the courage to say anything to Om ji or Naseer saab, they’re legends. And to be fair, their characters were written with a layer of humour.”

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Eventually, the tension broke. “In the middle of a take, Irrfan bhai just exploded. He abused, right there during the shot. Then immediately, he apologised and said, ‘Sorry, I thought abusing would help me act.’” Deepak Dobriyal added with a laugh, “Both of them froze. The set suddenly became serious, and from that moment, the tone was set. We got the shot, and there were no more issues.”

Deepak Dobriyal was most recently seen in Jugnuma: The Fable, currently playing in theatres.

Anas Arif

Anas Arif is a prolific Entertainment Journalist and Cinematic Analyst at The Indian Express, where he specializes in the intersection of Indian pop culture, auteur-driven cinema, and industrial ethics. His writing is defined by a deep-seated commitment to documenting the evolving landscape of Indian entertainment through the lens of critical theory and narrative authorship. Experience & Career As a core member of The Indian Express entertainment vertical, Anas has cultivated a unique beat that prioritizes the "craft behind the celebrity." He has interviewed a vast spectrum of industry veterans, from blockbuster directors like Vijay Krishna Acharya, Sujoy Ghosh, Maneesh Sharma to experimental filmmakers and screenwriters like Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane, Varun Grover, Rajat Kapoor amongst several others. His career is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, where he frequently tackles the ethical implications of mainstream cinema and the socio-political subtext within popular media. He is also the host of the YouTube series Cult Comebacks, where he talks to filmmakers about movies that may not have succeeded initially but have, over time, gained a cult following. The show aims to explore films as works of art, rather than merely commercial ventures designed to earn box office revenue. Expertise & Focus Areas Anas's expertise lies in his ability to deconstruct cinematic works beyond surface-level reviews. His focus areas include: Auteur Studies: Detailed retrospectives and analyses of filmmakers such as Imtiaz Ali, Anurag Kashyap, and Neeraj Ghaywan, often exploring their central philosophies and creative evolutions. Cinematic Deconstruction: Examining technical and narrative choices, such as the use of aspect ratios in independent films (Sabar Bonda) or the structural rhythm of iconic soundtracks (Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge). Industrial & Social Ethics: Fearless critique of commercial blockbusters, particularly regarding the promotion of bigoted visions or the marginalization of communities in mainstream scripts. Exclusive Long-form Interviews: Conducting high-level dialogues with actors and creators to uncover archival anecdotes and future-looking industry insights. Authoritativeness & Trust Anas Arif has established himself as a trusted voice by consistently moving away from standard PR-driven journalism. Whether he is interrogating the "mythology of Shah Rukh Khan" in modern sequels or providing a space for independent filmmakers to discuss the "arithmetic of karma," his work is rooted in objectivity and extensive research. Readers look to Anas for an educated viewpoint that treats entertainment not just as a commodity, but as a critical reflection of the country's collective conscience. ... Read More

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