Later, when Monty finally says, “Main tumse ek baar milna chahta hoon” (I want to meet you once), Tabu’s Shruti replies, “Kyun? Phir wohi baatein, wohi aankhein?” (Why? The same conversations, the same eyes?). Irrfan’s reply—a simple, broken “Haan” (Yes)—reduces audiences to tears. This is pure, unadulterated romantic tragedy.

Shifting gears from criminal angst to immigrant reality, Mira Nair cast them as Ashoke and Ashima Ganguli, a first-generation Bengali couple navigating life in New York.

This scene highlights their ability to portray domestic intimacy without over-the-top melodrama. Irfan’s gentle smile and Tabu’s shy, grounded demeanor perfectly encapsulate the transition from an arranged match to soulmates. It is a masterclass in understated romance. The Airport Goodbye ( The Namesake )

Irfan Khan as the Adult Pi Patel; Tabu as Gita Patel (Pi’s mother)

Both had key roles—Irrfan as the adult Pi and Tabu as Pi’s mother—though they did not share screen space.

Here’s a look at their key films together and the moments that define them.

Directed by Mira Nair. They played Ashoke and Ashima Ganguli, an immigrant couple navigating life in the U.S.

This was the film that redefined both actors. Based on Shakespeare’s Scottish play, transposed to the Mumbai underworld, Maqbool cast Irrfan as the brooding, loyal henchman Miyan Maqbool, and Tabu as Nimmi, the mistress of the underworld don (Abbaji). This was their first major screen pairing, and they set the screen on fire with quiet desperation.

The much-discussed scene occurs in the film's first half, focusing on the quiet, growing intimacy between Ashoke and Ashima. They are a couple whose marriage was arranged and who find themselves in a strange, lonely new country. Their physical relationship, born more from duty than passion, slowly deepens into a genuine, unspoken bond of love and support. The scene is a tender, respectful depiction of this evolution.

If you want to explore more about their individual careers, let me know. I can provide: