A look at Om Puri’s best art film down the years...
Om Puri is undoubtedly one of the most prolific actors that Indian cinema has seen and he made sure to play every character in utmost conviction. Also, he is one of the pillars of the art-house movement in Bollywood. He could bring out the angst of a common man beautifully, and his subtle acting is unmatched till date. So as we remember the veteran actor, who passed away in 2017, let’s take a look at some of his best art films:
Ghashiram Kotwal (1976)
This Marathi film was, in fact, Om Puri’s debut project. An adaptation of Vijay Tendulkar's play of the same name, this film was an anthology with four directors, each of whom directed parts of it. Set during the time of the Peshwas, this period satire shed light on the atrocities committed by those in power. Om Puri played the role of an ‘outsider’ who ends up becoming the Peshwa’s pawn.
Aakrosh (1980)
Directed by Govind Nihalani, this film which sees the renowned actor as a lower-caste man who is unjustly jailed for a crime he didn’t commit, was praised for Om Puri’s expressions to bring out his grief and angst. Only at the end of the film, he screams, finally venting out his bottled up emotions.
Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983)
The Kundan Shah directorial was a serious critique of the socio-political state of India but still managed to tickle your funny bone. Professional photographers Vinod Chopra (Naseeruddin Shah) and Sudhir Mishra (Ravi Baswani) find out one day that they have captured the murder of Mumbai’s Municipal Commissioner D'Mello (Satish Shah), committed by a builder Tarneja (Pankaj Kapoor). The film ends in a free-for-all climax, and Om Puri plays a corrupt builder with underlying comic tones.
Dharavi (1992)
Om Puri portrayed a taxi driver, also an inhabitant of the Dharavi slum. While he tries to escape his harsh life, his angst takes a toll on his marriage with Kumud (Shabana Azmi). He keeps dreaming about a mysterious woman (Madhuri Dixit), and things spiral out of control by the end of the film.
Giddh (1984)
This film dealt with the topic of forcing young girls into becoming a Devdasi, prevalent in forcing young girls into becoming a Devdasi. Bhashya (Om Puri) along with his wife Hanumi (Smita Patil) revolt against the practice but face problems all the way.
Which films have you seen already?
