- Lived
- 67 yrs
- 1949 – 2017
- Works listed
- 6
- Film, TV film
- Honours
- 4
- Most recent 2004
- Profile views
- 0
- 0 followers
Om Puri was an actor known for intense performances in Indian parallel cinema, especially Ardh Satya, and for a rare international career in British and Hollywood films such as East Is East and Charlie Wilson’s War. He won two National Film Awards and an honorary OBE. He died in 2017.
Biography
Hard beginnings
Om Puri grew up in poverty in Ambala and Punjab and worked from a young age. He studied at the National School of Drama, where he met Naseeruddin Shah, and at the Film and Television Institute of India.
Parallel cinema
He became one of the leading faces of the parallel cinema movement in films such as Aakrosh (1980) and Arohan, and won the National Film Award for Best Actor for Arohan and for Ardh Satya (1983), in which he played an honest policeman crushed by a corrupt system. He also starred in Tamas (1988), Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro and Mirch Masala.
International career
Puri became one of the first Indian actors with a sustained career in British and American films, including City of Joy (1992), My Son the Fanatic, East Is East (1999), which earned him a BAFTA nomination, Charlie Wilson’s War (2007) and The Hundred-Foot Journey (2014).
Honours
He received the Padma Shri in 1990 and was appointed an honorary Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2004 for services to the British film industry. He died in Mumbai on 6 January 2017.
Timeline
-
1949
Born in Ambala, Punjab (now Haryana)
-
1980
Aakrosh
-
1983
Ardh Satya
-
1988
Tamas
-
1990
Padma Shri
-
1992
City of Joy
-
1999
East Is East
-
2004
Honorary OBE
-
2007
Charlie Wilson’s War
-
2017
Dies in Mumbai
-
2017
Died, aged 67
Notable works
-
1980
Aakrosh Film
-
1983
Ardh Satya Film
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1988
Tamas TV film
-
1992
City of Joy Film
-
1999
East Is East Film
-
2014
The Hundred-Foot Journey Film
Awards and honours
-
National Film Award for Best Actor
1983 · Arohan.
-
National Film Award for Best Actor
1984 · Ardh Satya.
-
Padma Shri
1990
-
Honorary OBE
2004
Did you know?
-
1
He was nominated for a BAFTA for East Is East.
-
2
He studied at drama school with Naseeruddin Shah.
-
3
He received an honorary British OBE.
Connections
Related people
Also born on 18 October
Frequently asked
Who is Om Puri?
Om Puri was an actor known for intense performances in Indian parallel cinema, especially Ardh Satya, and for a rare international career in British and Hollywood films such as East Is East and Charlie Wilson’s War. He won two National Film Awards and an honorary OBE. He died in 2017.
When did Om Puri die?
Om Puri died on 6 January 2017 at the age of 67.
Where is Om Puri from?
Om Puri was born in Ambala, Punjab (now Haryana).
What is Om Puri known for?
Om Puri is best known for Aakrosh, Ardh Satya, Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, Tamas, East Is East, City of Joy.
What awards has Om Puri received?
Notable honours include National Film Award for Best Actor (1983), National Film Award for Best Actor (1984), Padma Shri (1990), Honorary OBE (2004).
References
- Om Puri — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
- Om Puri — Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
- Om Puri — IMDb. IMDb. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
- Om Puri — Hindi Wikipedia. Wikipedia (Hindi). Retrieved 2 November 2026.
- Om Puri (Q80309) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 2 November 2026.
Includes material from the Wikipedia article “Om Puri”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. That text is available under the same licence. Learn more
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editorial team; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal under our editorial policy
- First published 2 November 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“Om Puri.” TrackFame, last updated 3 November 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/om-puri
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