Biography of Om Puri

(October 18, 1950 - January 6, 2017)

Om Puri is one of the best actors of India. He is one of India's most respected and prolific screen personalities. Through his startling performances in films like My Son the Fanatic' and East is East, he has also earned recognition among Western audiences.

Born at Ambala in Punjab of Northern India in 1950, Puri grew up with a desire to become a military man like his father. In his student life, he joined a theatre group. Then he studied acting for three years at the National School of Drama in Delhi, where he performed in a wide variety of works ranging from Indian folk plays to Shakespeare.

Puri refined his acting at the Indian Film Institute in Pune and decided to try his luck in Mumbai. He did not have the classical handsome features of a film star but, on the strength of his acting skills, found work. After a role in Satyajit Ray's ‘Sadgati' he impressed the Western filmmakers. He worked in "Gandhi', 'Wolf', 'City of Joy, etc. His most famous Hindi films are ‘Akrosh', ‘Ardh Satya', 'Bhumika’ etc.