Mumbai: ‘The Last Tenant’, a shelved film starring Irrfan Khan and Vidya Balan, has finally been released on YouTube nearly 25 years after it was made.
Helmed by Sarthak Dasgupta and produced by Neena and Sarthak Dasgupta, the film has been unveiled as a tribute to Irrfan on his death anniversary.
The film had remained unreleased for more than two decades after its footage went missing while Sarthak was trying to secure a distributor.
It was only recently that a VHS copy surfaced, allowing the project to finally reach audiences.
The film marks Sarthak’s directorial debut, which he made after leaving his corporate job post completing his engineering and MBA to follow his passion for filmmaking.
Later, Sarthak went on to direct projects such as the Netflix original ‘Music Teacher’, ‘200 Halla Ho’ starring Amol Palekar and Rinku Rajguru, as well as web series like ‘Dharavi Bank’ among others.
Reflecting on the film’s long journey before its release, Sarthak said: “I was a novice with everything to learn. I hadn’t assisted anyone. I hadn’t been to film school. There was no Amazon to order books from, no YouTube to watch tutorials. Fuelled by pure intuition, I had embarked on a journey, still unsure if it could become a career. Releasing this film now, as a tribute to Irrfan, makes it even more emotional. It feels like revisiting a forgotten dream.”
Expressing a deep sense of nostalgia, Vidya said: “It feels surreal to see The Last Tenant finally reach audiences. I was just starting out, trying to find my footing. Working with Irrfan was incredibly special then, and even more now, considering it’s the only time I got to share screen space with him. This film is a beautiful reminder of where it all began for me, and I’m glad it is being shared as a tribute to him.”
The film has been released under the banner of The Salt Inc., founded by Sarthak.
Within just three days of its YouTube debut, it has garnered close to 2 lakh views. For fans of Irrfan, the release holds a special emotional significance.
