Veteran actor Om Puri died at 66

Om Puri, the veteran actor of Bollywood, died on 5 January 2017 in Mumbai. He passed away after a massive heart attack. He was 66.

This news of the death of the Padma Shri awardee was confirmed by filmmaker Ashok Pandit via Twitter. Pandit was a close friend of Puri. He wrote, “Sad & shocked to know that versatile actor Om Puri jee has expired due to a heart attack early morning today. #RIP.”

Om Puri

• Born on 18 October 1950, Puri appeared in commercial Indian, British, American, and Pakistani films.

• He also acted in art films and independent films.

• He studied at the Film and Television Institute of India as well as the National School of Drama.

• He made his film debut with the Marathi film Ghashiram Kotwal (1976).

• Hailing from Ambala, Haryana, Om Puri, was a recipient of Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award of India as well as Order of the British Empire (OBE).

Few films of Om Puri include

Bollywood films with Om Puri’s appearance include Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, Chachi 420, Hera Pheri, Chor Machaye Shor, and Malamaal Weekly, Singh Is Kinng, Mere Baap Pehle Aap, Billu, Don 2, and The Hangman. He also acted in art films of the 1980s and 1990s like Bhavni Bhavai, Sadgati, Ardh Satya, Mirch Masala and Dharavi.  Films that helped him to win awards in India are

a) Aakrosh (Won Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award)

b) Arohan (Won, National Film Award for Best Actor)

c) Ardh Satya (Won, National Film Award for Best Actor)

• Om Puri appeared in Hollywood films like City of Joy, Wolf, The Ghost and the Darkness, Charlie Wilson's War, My Son the Fanatic, Such a Long Journey, The Mystic Masseur, The Parole Officer, West Is West, A Million Rivers and Gandhi directed by Richard Attenborough (1982) among others.

• Om Puri appeared in British film like My Son the Fanatic, The Parole Officer among others.

• Om Puri appeared in English/French films like The Hundred-Foot Journey

• Om Puri appeared in Pakistani film like Actor in Law (2017). It was his debut film in Pakistani film industry.

• He also worked in several Hindi television serials.

• Future projects with which Om Puri was associated include Tube Light and Viceroy’s House.

Awards conferred on Om Puri include

• For Ardh Satya, he also won Karlovy Vary International Film Festival Best Actor in 1984.

• In 1998, he won Brussels International Film Festival Best Actor for My Son the Fanatic.

• In 1998, he was conferred with Grand Prix Special des Amériques Montréal World Film Festival for exceptional contribution to the cinematographic art.

• In 2009, he was conferred with the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award.

• In 2015, he was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award International Film Festival of Prayag.