The 89th Oscar awards ceremony was a much-awaited affair. This is the premier event in the world and showcases world cinema. At the awards, an "in Memorium" montage was part of the ceremony. Singer Sara Bareilles presented this. It was a moving tribute to some of the greats who had an association with Hollywood. Om Puri the versatile Bollywood and Hollywood star was included in the list.
It is a great honor to be so remembered. Om Puri had died of a heart attack a few weeks back in Mumbai. He was 66. His last film "The Ghazi Attack" has just been released.
He has played the role of a senior Navy officer in the film.
Om Puri
Om Puri made his debut in 1976. He was an unlikely hero with a marked face, but his histrionic ability carried the day. This led to his being cast in a number of films made in Hollywood as well as England. He did well on the international stage. He was noticed in 1982 for his role in "Gandhi." He starred in the British film "East is East." This film won the Alexander Korda Award for the best British film at the BAFTA awards. He also starred in the sequel "West is West."
Om Puri also acted in a number of Hollywood films including Wolf ((1994), City of Joy (1992), The Ghost and Darkness (1996), and Charlie Wilsons War (2007). In 2004 Om was awarded the honorary order of the British Empire for his contribution to English cinema.
Death
Om Puri did not have a happy married life. He was separated from both his wives and was living alone in Mumbai. He was found dead in the morning. Despite many theories about his death, it is probable that he fell while drunk and died because of a heart attack.
Om Puri was at home in both English and Hindi films. He was one of the few Indian actors who acted in Hollywood films as well as Hindi films.
He was also a versatile actor and was at home in serious as well as comedy roles. It is good he was remembered at the Oscars. His name was included in the list of actors who passed away during the year. Om will be remembered through his films for long.
