Apart from all the intense and critically acclaimed films that Om Puri was part of - there were many many of them - he managed to bring something special to the most commercial, mainstream films that he acted in. Be it the CBI officer in Don, menacing politician in Yuva, inspector duo (along with Naseeruddin Shah) in Maqbool, Sardar in Hera Pheri, he created moments for all his characters.
Even as the film industry mourned the sudden death of the actor, with over 300 appearances to his credit in Indian, western films, television series, plays etc, his contribution to cinema has become a talking point. His friends and colleagues gathered at Cooper Hospital in Juhu, Vile Parle as post-mortem procedures were completed. Anupam Kher, Shabana Azmi, Govind Nihalani, Shyam Benegal and many others were in attendance.
“This is no age to go. The saddest part is that he suffered a lonely death,” said Anupam Kher, who has been his friend and a junior at National School of Drama. “His contribution broke the myth you don’t need to look like something to make it in the industry. There he didn’t remain parallel cinema. He was the first actor to make it in international projects and he worked in mainstream and popular cinema as well. He would lend dignity to whichever medium he worked in. He understood the art. The word effortless fits him. I am proud that he was our senior. He never made any issues about reinventing himself. I once told him that while observing him during a shoot everything looks normal but when you watch the same on camera he looks extraordinary. I told him Purisaab kamaal lagte ho camera pe,” said Kher of his work.