Amrish Lal Puri (Hindi: अमरीश लाल पà¥à¤°à¥€; 22 June 1932 â€" 12 January 2005) was an Indian leading theatre and film actor, who was a key player in the Indian theatre movement that picked up steam in the 1960s. He worked with notable playwrights of the time, such as Satyadev Dubey and Girish Karnad. However, he is primarily remembered for playing iconic negative roles in Hindi cinema as well as other Indian and international film industries. To Indian audiences he is the most remembered for his role as Mogambo in Shekhar Kapur's Hindi film Mr. India (1987), and to Western audiences he is best known as Mola Ram in Steven Spielberg's Hollywood film Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984).
Early life
Amrish Puri was born in Nawanshahr, former Tehsil of District Jalandhar, Punjab to Lala Nihal Chand Puri and Ved Kaur. He had four siblings, elder brothers Chaman Puri and Madan Puri (both of whom also became actors), elder sister Chandrakanta, and a younger brother, Harish Puri. He later moved to Shimla and graduated from B.M. College, Himachal Pradesh.
Career
Amrish Puri went to Bombay in the footsteps of his elder brothers, who were already established actors known for playing villanous roles. He failed his first screen test, and found a job with the Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC). At the same time, he started performing at the Prithvi Theatre, in plays written by Satyadev Dubey. He eventually became well known as stage actor and won the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1979. This theatre recognition soon led to work in television ads and eventually to films at the late age of 40.
Puri went on to work in Hindi, Kannada, Marathi, Hollywood, Punjabi, Malayalam, Telugu and Tamil films. Though he was successful in all of these industries, he is best known for his work in Bollywood cinema. He has appeared in over four hundred films. His dominating screen presence and baritone voice made him stand out amongst the other villains of the day. He is known to international audiences for his roles as Khan in Richard Attenborough's Gandhi (1982) and as the main antagonist Mola Ram in Steven Spielberg's Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984). He shaved his head for the role, and it created such an impression that he kept his head shaved and became one of the most popular villains in Hindi Cinema. Amrish and Spielberg shared a great rapport and Spielberg often said in interviews, "Amrish is my favorite villain. The best the world has ever produced and ever will!"
Death
Puri died on 12 January 2005, due to cerebral haemorrhage resulting from complications of myelodysplastic syndrome in Mumbai, Maharashtra, aged 72.
Awards
Wins
- 1968: Maharashtra State Drama Competition
- 1979: Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Theatre
- 1986: Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award, Meri Jung
- 1991: Maharashtra State Gaurav Puraskar
- 1994: Sydney Film Festival, Best Actor Award â€" Suraj Ka Satvan Ghoda
- 1994: Singapore International Film Festival, Best Actor Award â€" Suraj Ka Satvan Ghoda
- 1997: Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award â€" Ghatak
- 1997: Star Screen Award for Best Supporting Actor â€" Ghatak
- 1998: Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award- Virasat
- 1998: Star Screen Award for Best Supporting Actor â€" Virasat
Nominations
- 1990: Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award â€" Tridev
- 1993: Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award â€" Muskurahat
- 1994: Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award â€" Gardish
- 1996: Filmfare Best Villain Award â€" Karan Arjun
- 1996: Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award â€" Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge
- 1999: Filmfare Best Villain Award â€" Koyla
- 2000: Filmfare Best Villain Award â€" Baadshah
- 2002: Filmfare Best Villain Award â€" Gadar: Ek Prem Katha
Filmography
Amrish Puri acted in more than 400 films between 1967 â€" 2005.
References
Further reading
- The Act of Life â€" An Autobiography by Amrish Puri with Jyoti Sabharwal.
External links
- Amrish Puri at Find a Grave
- Amrish Puri at the Internet Movie Database
- Obituary from rediff
- Obituary from Times of India
