Om Puri Dead: Remembering The Genius Of The Controversial Indian Actor

Acclaimed Indian actor Om Puri has passed away earlier today. The actor suffered cardiac arrest at his Mumbai home. As his friends and colleagues found Om Puri dead, they started paying tribute to the Indian actor who was considered one of the most brilliant performers the country has ever produced. In addition to being a torchbearer of the new-age Bollywood cinema, he acted in a number of Hollywood and British films as well.

The most recent Hollywood film he acted in was The Hundred Foot Journey. Om Puri played the role of Papa, while Helen Mirren played Madame Mallory. She received the Golden Globe for her performance in the film. Om also acted in films like East is East, War, and The Reluctant Fundamentalist. However, his most memorable English-language film was The City of Joy.

Patrick Swayze, who played Max Lowe in The City of Joy, was all praise for the Indian actor. “The biggest thing I found working with Om as an actor is that he gives all of himself and with no fear, no defence, no justification. And that is remarkable as an actor,” he wrote in the foreword of Om’s biography.

That unforgettable moment in film ‘Gandhi’ where #OmPuri appears for the briefest moment, you knew of the brilliance of this young new actor

— Shekhar Kapur (@shekharkapur) January 6, 2017

“I felt he deserved at least a nomination at the Academy Awards.”

Om was one of the very few Indian actors who became successful in both mainstream and experimental cinema. The award-winning actor received high appreciation for his work from all around the globe. But, at the same time, he was a controversial figure. He got into controversy for a number of times, especially because of his politically incorrect statements about various issues. As the news of Om Puri dead makes the headlines, let’s have a look at those controversies.

His comment about the Indian army

The most recent controversy took place a couple of months back when Om Puri made a comment about the Indian army on live TV. The actor was asked to comment on the Uri attack that killed a number of Indian soldiers in their sleep. India blamed Pakistan for the attack and claimed to have carried out a surgical strike in retaliation on the terrorist base in Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir.

Om was visibly irritated by the heated discussion about soldiers and made a comment that offended many. “Who had asked the soldiers to join the army? Who told them to pick the weapons?” he said. There was a case against him for insulting the Indian army. Om was quick to apologize. He demanded that he should be “court-martialed” for the comment.

His comment about Naxals

The cardiac arrest might have left Om Puri dead, but he spoke his heart out when he lived, no matter how politically incorrect it was. In 2012, he defended Naxals. The Indian government has long been at war with the far-left extremist forces. But, Om said they were not terrorists but fighters who fought for their rights. He even defended the kidnapping of a government official, by saying that the hostage belonged to an “anti-people” social system, India Today reported.

“They (Naxals) are not terrorists because they don’t resort to irresponsible acts of terror by planting bombs on streets. They don’t harass the common man and the poor.”

His biography and his fight with his wife

Om was unhappy with his wife Nandita who penned his biography. He was apparently offended because she revealed some of his private sexual moments in the book. She revealed in the book that Om had a sexual relationship with a maid when he was only 14. The book also reveals that the actor had sexual encounters with the caretaker of his sick father.

The fight between Om and Nandita took an ugly turn, and she eventually filed a case of domestic abuse against the actor. The couple got separated eventually.

Remembering the maverick who donned many hats. #OmPuri pic.twitter.com/DFIv4yLvzM

— Google India (@GoogleIndia) January 6, 2017

The beginning of the new year may have left Om Puri dead. It will be unfair to remember the actor for the controversies he was involved in. He should rather be remembered for his pure genius. As his co-actor and celebrated actor Naseeruddin Shah puts it, Om’s story is every struggling actor’s fantasy.

“That a thoroughly ordinary guy can get ahead with nothing but good talent as godfather, hard work as insurance and the best of intentions as guide.”

[Featured Image by Samir Hussein/Getty Images]