RIP OM PURI : Bollywood lost a most talented actor

Rest in Peace Padma Shree Om Prakesh Puri - A rare jewel of Film Industry, you will be missed, not only in Bollywood,Hollywood but across the globe.

Om Puri File Pic

Om Puri died at age of 66 years after having a heart attack early on the morning of 6 January 2017 at his residence in Andheri. 

Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit, a close friend of the actor, first confirmed the news of his death on Twitter.

Om Puri's body is at his residence in Andheri and his old friends and colleagues from Bollywood have arrived to pay their last respects. His Funeral will be held at 6 PM today at Oshiwara electric crematorium. 

Sad & shocked to know that versatile actor Om Puri jee has expired due to heart attack early morning today. #RIP.

— Ashoke Pandit (@ashokepandit) January 6, 2017

Its truly a  sad demise for the entire film fraternity ad every one is praying peace for him and social media is flooded with condolence messages.

Here is brief about this great actor :

Om Prakash Puri (18 October 1950 – 6 January 2017) was an Indian actor who appeared in mainstream commercial Indian, British, and American films, as well as independent films and art films. He was awarded Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award of India, in 1990 and in 2004, was made an honorary Officer of the Order of the British Empire.

Om Puri was born in Ambala Haryana to a Punjabi family. His father worked in the railways and in the Indian Army.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 the Hindu festival Dussehra. When he began his schooling, his uncle chose 9 March 1950 as his "official" birthday, however when he moved to Bombay, Puri looked up when Dussehra was celebrated in 1950, to establish his date of birth as 18 October.

Puri graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune. He was also an alumnus of the 1973 class of National School of Drama with Naseeruddin Shah.

Puri worked in numerous Indian films, as well as many films produced in the United Kingdom and the United States.

He made his film debut in the 1976 Marathi film Ghashiram Kotwal. He was critically acclaimed for his performances in many unconventional roles such as a victimized tribal in Aakrosh (1980); Jimmy's manager in Disco Dancer (1982); a police inspector in Ardh Satya (1982),for which he got the National Film Award for Best Actor; the leader of a cell of Sikh militants in Maachis (1996); as a tough cop again in the commercial film Gupt in 1997; and as the courageous father of a martyred soldier in Dhoop (2003).

In 1999, Puri acted in a Kannada movie A.K. 47 which was a huge commercial hit. In the same year, he starred in the successful British comedy film East is East.

He became known internationally by starring in many British films such as My Son the Fanatic (1997), East Is East (1999) and The Parole Officer (2001). He also appeared in Hollywood films like City of Joy (1992), opposite Patrick Swayze; Wolf (1994) with Jack Nicholson; and The Ghost and the Darkness (1996) opposite Val Kilmer. In 2007, he appeared as General Zia-ul-Haq in Charlie Wilson's War, which stars Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts.

OM Puri has also worked in Hindi television serials like Tamas (1987), Kakkaji Kaheen (1988), Mr. Yogi (1989),  Bharat Ek Khoj, Yatra, Mr. Yogi, Aahat, Sea Hawks, Antaral, and Savdhaan India's second season.

In 2014, he appeared opposite Helen Mirren in the comedy-drama The Hundred-Foot Journey.

He played comic roles in Hindi films like Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, Chachi 420 (1997), Hera Pheri (2000), Chor Machaye Shor (2002) and Malamaal Weekly (2006).

His more recent Hindi film roles include Singh Is Kinng, Mere Baap Pehle Aap and Billu,Road to sangam, The Hungama, and Don 2.

Persoanl Life of Om Puri was never so bright as his films:

Puri married Seema Kapoor, the sister of actor Annu Kapoor, in 1991, but their marriage ended after eight months.

Seema Kapoor File Pic

In 1993, he married journalist Nandita Puri, with whom he has a son named Ishaan.In 2009, Nandita wrote a biography of her husband entitled "Unlikely Hero: The Story Of Om Puri".In 2013, Nandita filed an allegation of domestic violence against him, and the two opted for a judicial separation shortly afterwards.

OM Puri with Wife Nandita Puri  File Pic

In October 2016, Puri made a comment, that "army men join army on their own will, no body forces them to do so". The media interpreted that comment as an insult to the Indian army, especially during the surgical strike on Pakistan. Puri was heavily criticised by the Indian media, after which he apologised for his remarks.