Bollywood actress Vidya Balan remembered the late Irrfan Khan in a heartfelt note celebrating the release of their shelved 25-year-old film, The Last Tenant, which premiered on YouTube earlier this week.

“Watched The Last Tenant for the first time last night, since I shot for it 25 years ago. I shot for it, and then, for some reason, it didn’t see the light of day,” the actress wrote on Instagram, alongside a video carrying clips from the film.

In her note, Vidya Balan recalled that it was a phase in her career when “nothing seemed to materialise.” Referring to her shelved Malayalam debut Chakram and being replaced in nearly a dozen films over three years, the actress said she had tried to forget that chapter of her life.

However, she revisited those memories last week after receiving a message from director Sarthak Dasgupta informing her that The Last Tenant had finally been released on YouTube.

“And then one vague memory popped up. I remembered calling my sister, @priyabalances, excitedly from the set to tell her that I was shooting with Irrfan Khan from Banegi Apni Baat. I thought he was the most natural actor then, and I felt the same way last night… never a false note or tone,” she wrote.

“And since Irrfan’s passing, I have rued the fact that a couple of films that would’ve had us play opposite each other didn’t materialise, for some reason or another. But now I at least have The Last Tenant!! Thank you, @sarthak_dasgupta. It took 25 years for our stars to align, my fellow Capricorn, #irrfankhan, but they did after all,” the actress concluded.

The Last Tenant, a 2000 film starring Irrfan Khan, debuted on YouTube on his sixth death anniversary.

Irrfan passed away on April 29, 2020, following a long battle with neuroendocrine cancer. On April 29, the film premiered on The Salt Inc YouTube channel as a tribute to Irrfan on his death anniversary.

Written and directed by Sarthak Dasgupta, the film features a young Irrfan alongside Vidya Balan.

The Last Tenant remained shelved for over two decades after its original footage was lost. Sarthak had nearly given up hope until he recovered a VHS copy, making restoration and release of the long-lost film possible.

The Last Tenant is believed to be one of Vidya’s earliest works, and possibly her first film after a short television stint with the show Hum Paanch. It also stands as her only on-screen pairing with Irrfan.