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Veteran actor Pavan Malhotra has reflected on the life and legacy of the late Om Puri, saying the celebrated actor remained underrated despite earning international recognition because he never focused on self-promotion or building a public image.
In a conversation with ANI, Malhotra recalled Om Puri's remarkable contribution to Indian and international cinema, while also revealing that there was a time during the making of the 1988 television film 'Tamas' when Om Puri faced financial hardship and struggled to pay his bills despite his immense talent. Recalling his conversations with the late actor, Malhotra said, "During Tamas, Om Puri didn't have money to pay the bills. He himself shared that with me. Despite doing brilliant work in Hollywood, he was never financially extravagant. He earned just enough to survive. His focus was always on acting, not on building an image or making headlines." Malhotra said Om Puri was among the earliest Indian actors to establish a genuine international acting career, long before global crossover became common for Indian performers. "I once told a film journalist that, in the true sense, Om Puri was one of the first Indian actors to build a genuine career in foreign films. Long before actors like Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone, or even Irrfan Khan gained international recognition, Om Puri had already paved the way with remarkable performances. That's because he never made noise about his accomplishments. He never promoted himself," he said. According to Malhotra, the entertainment industry operated very differently during the early years of Om Puri's career, when publicity campaigns and social media did not dominate the film industry. "Om Puri Ji did not do his publicity. He did not tell people what he was doing. It's not that he was shy of sharing. That era was different. At that time, there were no promotions, no PRs, no promotional campaigns, and no social media. Press existed, of course, but there wasn't this culture of constantly marketing yourself. Nowadays, films begin their publicity months before release," he added. Speaking about what made Om Puri one of the finest actors of his generation, Malhotra highlighted the veteran's exceptional voice modulation and naturalistic acting style. "His voice, for one... Many actors have deep voices, but very few can modulate them the way Amitabh Bachchan and Om Puri could. Their control over tone, emotion, and rhythm was exceptional," he said. Praising Om Puri's performances, Malhotra added, "And his acting style, It was incredibly natural. I often say Om Puri's acting was like cream- smooth and effortless. Many talented actors have certain fixed gestures or a predictable rhythm in their speech. But Om Puri never felt repetitive. Every performance felt fresh, honest, and deeply authentic." Malhotra also expressed disappointment that Om Puri's achievements in international cinema did not receive the recognition they deserved in India. "Around the time of Om Puri's passing, I told a journalist that, in my opinion, no Indian actor had represented Indian cinema in foreign films with such consistently brilliant performances as Om Puri. Yet our media rarely discussed those achievements," he said. Sharing another personal memory, Malhotra said he closely observed Om Puri off-screen and even learned English by listening to him speak. "I always say that I learned English from Om Puri. Listening to him speak, observing his pronunciation, and watching the way he expressed himself taught me a great deal," he added. Om Puri, regarded as one of India's finest actors, built an acclaimed career across parallel cinema, mainstream Hindi films, and international productions over four decades. An alumnus of the National School of Drama (NSD) and the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), he won two National Film Awards and was honoured with the Padma Shri in 1990. His international work included acclaimed performances in films such as 'East Is East', 'City of Joy', 'The Ghost and the Darkness', and 'The Hundred-Foot Journey', while his performances in 'Aakrosh', 'Ardh Satya', 'Tamas', and 'Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro' remain among the defining works of Indian cinema. Pavan Malhotra and Om Puri shared screen space in several notable projects, including 'City of Joy', 'Brothers in Trouble', and 'Road to Sangam'. (ANI)
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