Bollywood Actor Om Puri (66) Passes Away

Mumbai: Veteran actor Om Puri, who gave countless memorable performances in movies of diverse genres, died at his residence here on Friday morning after a massive heart attack.

He was 66. "He passed away this morning due to a massive heart attack at his residence in suburban Andheri. It's shocking," a family source said. From Bollywood to Hollywood, from independent to art films, the noted actor, known for his versatility, gave several acclaimed performances.

Puri featured in several Indian, Pakistani, British and Hollywood mainstream commercial films. He was awarded the Padma Shri, the country's fourth highest civilian award, in 1990. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled Puri's demise and recalled his long career in theatre and films.

Bollywood celebrities, including Akshay Kumar, Karan Johar, Anupam Kher, Javed Akhtar and Mahesh Bhatt expressed grief over Puri's demise, calling it a huge loss to Indian cinema. Born in Ambala, Haryana, in a Punjabi family, Puri graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune.

He made his film debut in the 1976 Marathi film "Ghashiram Kotwal". Some of his most notable films include "Bhavni Bhavai", "Sandgate, "Ardh Satya", "Mirch Masala", "Dharavi", "Aakrosh", "Maachis", "Gupt", "Dhoop", "Yuva", "Don", "Agneepath", "Bajrangi Bhaijaan" and others.

He earned international fame in many British films, such as "My Son the Fanatic", "East Is East", "The Parole Officer" and others. He also appeared in Hollywood films like "City of Joy", "Wolf", "The Ghost and the Darkness" among others.