A Conversation with Om Puri

Re: Krashid,

Bhai Krashid MiaN. Is your condition congenital or was there an accident?

Regardless, my condolences.

Re: Sadna,

His best ever serial was Mr. Yogi where he plays the `sutradhaar`. Remember that scene where he turns himself into superman but cant fly? So he has to get an auto! So there he is in the `ricksha` chasing after Y.I. Patel all across Ahmedabad in his ill-fitting superman costume with his chest hair sticking out from under it? That was so funny!

Latif

P.S: But wait... that role shamelessly exploited the negative stereotype of a `sutradhar`. Thank god no `real sutradhar` accepted that role! Shame on Om Puri for taking that role!

Latif Chappu #49

I also seem to remember Om Puri played a key role as a `chamaar` in the beginning of the TV movie `Tamas` based on a novel? by Bhishm Sahni about Partition. Not a comedy role at all.

scout #46
Base your criticism on something more relevant to Om Puri as an actor than your moral outrage at his acceptance of a couple of roles which you happen to find negative stereotypes.

Sadhana

Scout,

I can`t understand why everyone here has gotten after you. May be it is because Om Puri is a quite popular with lots of people (including me!). I too have a real soft corner for the guy (imagine what he could have done if he didn`t have those ugly looks). Beyond that, just grit your teeth, and dodge all the bricks flying your way :). I agree with you about Pakistani serials, though. Most of them have very good storylines and their acting is just superb.

RSaxena,

Why are you always so mean to Scout?!

Om Puri & Satyajit Ray are certainly very great names of the Indian movie industry.Some more can also be mentioned if one goes back in time.

What is the commonality among them?----they are NOT Ba Ba Blacksheep.They are firmly rooted and steeped in their religion & culture.

They all walk,talk,and behave Indian and not like those stupid Follywood bhaands and kanjars who fancy themselves as actors because they know english antics(With due apologies to real bhaands and kanjars who never get the recognition which they truly deserve simply because they cannot ACT OUT the Follywood role in real life)

These `Midnight Children` have never seen the freedom light(if at all it shone).Their cultural cousins live in Pakistan too,who pride themselves in not being able to speak,read or write their own language.They ALWAYS write `literature`(poetry & fiction)because it is the easiest form of exposition which can get away because of its ambiguity & `mystique`.It is very difficult for them to write essays,anything to do with brains & thinking is not for them....here they stand a chance of geting exposed.

Sadna:

Yeah, the role in Tamas was more up his alley. That was an awesome show too. I was kinda young then and didn`t realize the ramifications of how the show implicated RSS. I remember that initiation scene with the chicken vividly. You know who was great in that show? Veeru Saxena as the sardarji!

Rsuxena #50, ``Millions and millions of Pakistanis are pirating Indian movies and songs. ``

OH PULLEASEEEEEEEEE don`t even get me started on how many Indian movies and songs are direct copies of Pakistani dramas and songs. Mehdi Hassan`s songs have been blatantly copied. Nusrat Fateh Ali`s songs were copied extensively, till his popularity in the West forced the Indian entertainment industry to bow down to him.

Noor Jehan`s songs have been copied. Even a pop group such as Vital Sign`s songs have been copied.

I recently had the displeasure of watching a new

Indian movie in which a whole scene with dialogue was copied from a Pakistani drama called Unkahi.

These are a few examples. I can name more but won`t.

And yes, Pakistani films DO copy Indian movies, and copies of crappy movies are even crappier, such as the ones made in Lahore.

``Millions and millions of Pakistanis are turning away from

Pee-TV to Zee-TV....``

Anhaan, and that`s because ``millions and millions`` of Pakistani men are getting a rise out of watching half naked women strut their stuff around meaninglessly in front of the camera.

By the way, did you just learn a new word today: millions?



``Yup, it`s quite clear what type of quality cinema and drama Pakistanis are capable of.``

So does your taste revolves around the cheap cinema and crappy dramas produced in India nowadays?

I agree with you on the poor quality of Pakistani cinema (quality is nonexistent in new Pakistani movies), but when it comes to dramas/serials, Pakistan has THE BEST writers and actors. There is no comparison. You can say whatever you want to say.

Re: scout

``I know you have something against me...``

Oh come on, I thought we had an understanding. We can be as mean as we like as long as we are willing to take it in return. I think we have lived up to the deal fairly well.

Re: scout #55

ok ok, calm down. I don`t care about this stuff enough to argue anymore. It`s all meaningless crap anyway.

Champu Bhaiya #48

Condolence accepted.

Chappu Chalaiey Chappu. Itne Dimagh Ka Kam Aap Ke Bus Ka Nahin.

Champu Re Champu.

Latif Chappu #47

Bhai Kia stupid Lafz Aap Ne Bohat Suna Hai. Lagta To Aisa Hi Hai.

Waisey Aap Ki Zaat Paat Kia Hai.

Kuch Pata Chaley. Chappu Chalane Wale Mahiya.

....thinking out loud

reply 55

``

``millions and millions`` of Pakistani men are getting a rise out of watching half naked women strut their stuff around meaninglessly in front of the camera.

``

reply 39

``

Om Puri`s talented, and he`s asked to do (and accepts) token stereotypical desi roles, which to me represents the desi bad habit of chamchagiri towards the West

``

so if Om Puri is acting/presenting an extension to the actual life of (quite a many of those) millions and millions of men that is a token stereotypical desi roles?

huh??

scout,

way to go beti! Saxena is waving the white flag.

NOBODY messes with the cute little jalapeno & gets away with it!

Dear all,

Om puri is a brilliant actor. Eklavya said that he was ugly…even better because when I see him act, I actually think that he’s a real character as opposed to a Hollywood, Lollywood, Mollywood (Bombay was changed to Mumbai in Jan 1996 by Shiv Sena-when are you guys gonna change the name of your film industry) actor in a film.

Strange thing about My son, the fanatic, as to the responses generated by people. Whilst many of my English mates felt sorry for Om Puri and disliked the son, many of my Desi mates had mixed feelings towards both. I personally could not see what was wrong with the lad (with a few minor exceptions) but did feel that Om Puri was a downright loser.

Yes Scout, Pakistani dramas are Theee best in the world. Full stop. Can’t say much for the cinemas which cater for the needs of the mazdoors. I was quiet annoyed when a UK programme called Network East (anyone heard of it) showed how they make Pakistani dramas by pretty much ‘extracting the urine’ out of the subject and taking the Michael. I did send them a letter of disapproval but never received a reply.

PS, I wonder why they called it Zee TV…probably ‘cos it makes everyone go to sleep.

Dear F_K and everyone else

I’d just like to expand on Farangi_Kush’s post. With the passing of all time greats as Sabri, Noor Jehan, Mian Aziz and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, the great (and I mean it in two manners) Qawaal nawaz, there remains a hole in the Pakistani musical cultural scene and guess what it is being rapidly being filled by…the burger culture. Yes boys and girls, Pakistani ‘tinky winky’ and ‘dipsy’ boy bands are sprouting out like weeds, squeezed tightly in their denims, so much so that if you shoved a piece of coal up their ass, they would produce a diamond within a week. And even the Ammah Ji’s and the gals from diamond market are getting in the act. What do you need, a crappy voice, a need for some extra cash, two or three cushions, a camera and a microphone and voila…a musical genius is born.

No music; more importantly, no lyrics. Man, Pakistan is losing out on its economy and infrastructure, let’s not lose out on the positive aspects of our culture too.

Take care

Omar Phoenix.

Re: krashid #59

``Waisey Aap Ki Zaat Paat Kia Hai``

``What is your caste/creed?``

That is about as insensitive and rude a question as I have ever come across on this board. It reflects on the narrow-mindset of the questioner, who is so anchored to his primitive worldview that he constantly needs to hark back to another person`s origins to regain an understanding of his world. Changed, complex cirmumstances seem to put the questioner in a state of confusion and bewilderment.

Latif Chappu, it would be best if you desist from answering such impolite and rude questioning.