On Om Puri’s Birth Anniversary, Here's a Look at His Best Films

Om Puri was a well-known actor in the Bollywood industry and theatre artist. His contributions to the acting industry have been immense, right since his first film ‘Chor Chor Chhup Ja’. He went on to star in at least 161 Indian films.

In fact, his work went international after starring in many British films like ‘My Son the Fanatis’, ‘East is East’, ‘The Parole Officer’. Soon, he worked in Hollywood as well with notable actors like Tom Hanks, Julia Robers, and Jack Nicholson, to name a few.

October 18 is the birth anniversary of the renowned actor. Interestingly, this is a day which he had picked for himself as when he was born, he had no birth certificate or records. His family was unsure of his date and year of birth, however his mother told him he had been born two days after Dussehra.

He displayed his love for films and acting with some wonderful performances. Let’s take a look at some of the films of his career.

Aakrosh: Based on a true incident, the film was a scathing satire on the corruption in the judicial system and the victimization of the underprivileged by the able and the powerful. Om Puri was one of the leads alongside Naseeruddin Shah and Amrish Puri. The film went on to receive National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi in 1980.

Sadgati: Along with many actors of his time, Om Puri was also a part of several parallel cinema or art films. With Satyajit Ray’s direction, Sadgati is considered to be one of Puri’s best works. The film is a vicious indictment of the Indian caste system.

Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro: Om Puri acted in comedy films with equal panache. This film was a satire on the rampant corruption in Indian politics, bureaucracy, news media and business, and stars an ensemble cast. Om Puri played the role of a corrupt builder. The film went on to become a cult classic.

Maqbool: In Vishal Bharadwaj’s adaption of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Om Puri played the role of a corrupt policeman (portraying the traits of the three witches in the play). The film didn’t do well on the box office but won Bhardwaj international acclaim.

Chachi 420: In this Hindi comedy directed by Kamal Hassan, Om Puri played the role of an assistant to a staunch Hindu Brahmin businessman. The film was comedy riot and was well received by the audience.

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