The Last Tenant Release: Why Irrfan Khan's Film Was Delayed 25 Years; Vidya Balan Says 'It Feels Surreal'

Hyderabad: Nearly 25 years after it was made, The Last Tenant, starring Irrfan Khan and Vidya Balan, has finally been released for audiences. The film quietly premiered on YouTube on April 29, marking Irrfan Khan’s sixth death anniversary. What makes this release special is not just the timing, but also the long and complicated journey the film went through before reaching viewers.

Directed and written by Sarthak Dasgupta, The Last Tenant is believed to be one of Vidya Balan’s earliest projects, possibly her first film after her short stint on television. It also remains the only time she shared screen space with Irrfan Khan.

Why the film remained unreleased for two decades

Despite being shot around the year 2000, the film never saw the light of day for over 20 years. The main reason was simple yet devastating: the original footage was lost. With no proper backup and limited resources at the time, the project was left incomplete and eventually forgotten.

Sarthak Dasgupta, who was just starting out then, had almost given up hope of ever recovering the film. However, in a surprising turn of events, he recently found a VHS copy of The Last Tenant. This discovery made it possible to restore the film and finally release it.

Looking back at that phase, Dasgupta shared an emotional note about his journey. He 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 on. 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.”

The film also marked Dasgupta’s directorial debut. At the time, he had just completed his Engineering and MBA but chose to leave behind a corporate career to follow his passion for filmmaking. He later went on to direct projects like The Music Teacher and 200 Halla Ho, along with creating web series such as Dharavi Bank.

Vidya Balan reflects on the release

For Vidya Balan, the film’s release is deeply personal. Speaking about the experience, she 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 that much 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.”

About The Last Tenant

The Last Tenant tells the story of a troubled musician who takes shelter in an abandoned house before planning to leave the country. As he spends time there, memories, music, and emotions begin to mix, creating a quiet and haunting atmosphere. The film was made on a very small budget, with no big backing, but driven purely by passion.

Even in its raw form, the film offers a glimpse into the early talent of both Irrfan Khan and Vidya Balan. Viewers can see the beginnings of Irrfan’s subtle acting style and Vidya’s natural screen presence.

Apart from the lead actors, the film also features Annu Khandelwal, Saurabh Agarwal, Sabya Saachi, Satish Kalra, and Anand Mishra. It has been released under Dasgupta’s production banner, The Salt Inc.

Within just a few days of its YouTube release, The Last Tenant received close to two lakh views. More importantly, the timing of the release has made it even more meaningful.