Veteran Indian actor Om Puri passed away at his Mumbai residence earlier today. He was 66. Puri reportedly suffered a massive heart attack early morning on Friday. He is survived by his son Ishaan Puri.
One of the pioneers of independent cinema in India, Puri is known for his gritty performances in several landmark Indian films. His career included films in Hindi, English and other regional languages.
Om Puri was born to a Punjabi family in Ambala, Haryana. Puri graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) Pune, and subsequently graduated from the National School of Drama in 1973, where actor Naseeruddin Shah was also a student. In 1976, Puri made his movie debut with the Marathi film Ghashiram Kotwal.
Om Puri received much acclaim for his performances, and has had memorable roles in films like Ardh Satya, Gupta, and Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro among others.
He also featured in several mainstream Pakistani, British, and Hollywood commercial films, earning international fame with British films like My Son The Fanatic and East Is East.
The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences on Om Puri’s passing with a message on Twitter. Celebrities like Kamal Haasan, Anupama Kher, and Akshay Kumar have also shared their tributes on the social media site.
The Prime Minister condoles the passing away of actor Om Puri & recalls his long career in theatre & films.
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 6, 2017
You will live in our hearts forever through the impressions you have left with your versatility. We will miss you. RIP #OmPuri
— sachin tendulkar (@sachin_rt) January 6, 2017
What a talented actor #OmPuri was! This is a tremendous loss to the entertainment industry
— Sheila Dikshit (@SheilaDikshit) January 6, 2017
So long Omji. Prided myself on being his friend peer & admirer. Who dare say my Om Puri is no more ? He lives through his work.
— Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) January 6, 2017
Sad to hear about the passing away of the very talented Om Puri, my co-actor in many films…heartfelt condolences to the family. #RIP
— Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) January 6, 2017
