Acclaimed Indian actor Om Puri, well-known abroad for his role in hit movie Gandhi, died aged 66 after suffering a heart attack Friday. The Padma Shri awardee, popular for his work even in the West, breathed his last today. He is considered one of the most successful actors in the parallel cinema movement in India.

From a humble background to being the poster boy of Indian arthouse film movement and a subsequent stint at Hollywood, Om Puri (1950-2017) was indeed the 'Unlikely Hero'.  

Below are some of his iconic performances in Hollywood

1982: Puri's cameo in Richard Attenborough's 1982 epic on the life of India's independence movement leader Mahatma Gandhi was one of his early entries into Hollywood.

1992: Roland Jeffes ' adaptaion of Dominique Lapierre's 'City of Joy' had the actor play Hasari Pal, a rickshaw puller, with a powerful performance which made Patrick Swayze remarking at a press conference that "If anyone deserves an Oscar this year, it's Om".

1996: The late actor was also seen in films like 'Wolf' and 'Ghost and the Darkness' (1996).

1997: Puri got recognised in British cinema for his role in 'My Son the Fanatic'. The film was based on a short story by Hanif Kureishi and had Puri playing Parvez, a British-Pakistani taxi driver whose stable life was rattled when his son turns to radical Islam. In his review of the film, critic Roger Ebert described Om Puri as an actor of great humour and wisdom.

1998: 'Such a Long Journey' (1998) based on the best-selling novel by Rohinton Mistry was another memorable appearance of Puri. The film was set in 1971's wartime climate in India had Puri play Ghulam Mohamed, a mediator.

1999: Puri's potrayal of a first-generation Pakistani immigrant in the north of England, in the movie 'East is East', is considered one his most popular performances in the West. It was a comedy directed by Damien O'Donnell.

2007: Puri played former a Pakistani president Zia-ul Haq in the Tom Hanks starrer , 'Charlie Wilson's War'(2007).

2010: Puri revived his popular role of the movie 'East is East' in a sequel called 'West is West' (2010).

2013: Puri played the role of Abu, Changez Khan's (Riz Ahmed) father in Mira Nair's 'The Reluctant Fundementalist' in 2013.

2014: The actor shared screen space with British acting legend Helen Mirren in Lasse Hallstrom's 'The Hundred Foot Journey'.  The film had a sleepy reception but was hailed for the interplay between the two actors playing rival restaurant owners.

Under post-production: His last English language film was 'Viceroy's House ', which is still under post-production.

(Click here for Android APP of IBTN. You can follow us on facebook and Twitter)

Share This News

About sharing