India, May 8 -- Like a surprise gift, an unreleased film starring Irrfan has arrived, ever so quietly, on YouTube. For so many fans of the actor, like me, it is quite something. The actor's death in 2020 has left a void in Hindi cinema like no other. Sometimes I wonder what kind of characters he would choose to play at a time like this, when Hindi cinema is producing more and more films centred on blood-soaked machismo. I would like to believe that The Last Tenant is Irrfan's answer to that question.

Irrfan plays Saagar, a gifted musician who has recently had a difficult breakup with Maanvi (Vidya Balan, wonderful in a supporting role). He's too caged by his emotions to express them, and amid this, he decides to pursue research in the St...