It is an undeniable fact that the international movie Slumdog Millionaire changed the game for some major Indian movie players including actor Irrfan Khan on the Hollywood circuit. Irrfan's role in movies with Tom Hanks (Inferno), Chris Pratt (Jurassic World) and Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone (The Amazing Spiderman) stand testament to the same, but it is a little known fact that the actor's international acclaim was much before all this and the Oscar winning Life of Pi. 

Irrfan's debut movie Salaam Bombay! which was written and directed by International film-maker Mira Nair was nominated for the Oscars in 1989. The actor played a small role in the movie but a significant one.

In 2001 Irrfan starred in a British production named The Warrior, which went on to win a BAFTA (The British Oscars) that year. 

In 2006, he once again starred in an English drama written, directed and produced by Mira Nair; The Namesake which gained wide acclaim in the international film festival circuit.

But his biggest role before the international frenzy surrounding Slumdog Millionaire was the 2007 movie A Mighty Heart where he rubbed shoulders with Hollywood royalty Angelina Jolie and even made an appearance at Cannes Film Festival for the same.