ओमपुरी : संघर्ष से बनाया मुकाम

New Delhi, Jan 06 (ANI): "Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro"- must have been Om Puri’s last words when he passed away with cardiac arrest today morning in Mumbai. And as his former colleague and good friend Shabana Azmi said, Om Puri left them too early. He was only 66. Born to a Punjabi family in Ambala, Haryana, Om Puri graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune. He later graduated from the National School of Drama in 1973, where colleague Naseeruddin Shah was also a student. The Bollywood stalwart, who was known for his movies like ‘Ardh Satya’, ‘Aakrosh’, ‘Maachis’ and ‘East is East’ among others, was one of the pioneers of the parallel cinema movement in India. In a film industry obsessed with nearly perfect faces and bodies, the success of Om Puri seemed like a metaphor for winning against odds. The National Award winner, the Padma Shri awardee and winner of several accolades in his life, had the ability to switch from one dialect to another which made him a favourite among the film-makers. Om Puri saab also made his name for his under-played performances and searing intensity. The veteran star was equally popular in Hollywood and was one of the first Indian actors who worked overseas with sheer excellence. Whether it was serious parallel cinema or masala commercial cinema or live acting in theatre, Om Puri took everything with utmost dedication. Actors like him can’t ever be replaced. RIP Puri saab.