Patiala and theatre training
Actor Om Puri was born in Ambala and spent part of his childhood near Patiala, Punjab. In a Rediff interview he described attending Khalsa College in Patiala and becoming involved with Punjab Kala Manch, the theatre group associated with Harpal Tiwana and his wife. Puri recalled going on to the National School of Drama, where he studied alongside Naseeruddin Shah, and leaving in 1973. He also described receiving financial help that enabled him to study at the film institute in Pune. These recollections place his early acting education within a network of teachers, fellow students and supporters.[1]
Indian and British screen work
The British Film Institute’s obituary identifies Puri’s early film work in Ghashiram Kotwal and later appearances in films including Aakrosh, Sadgati and Ardh Satya. It also records his roles in British productions, including My Son the Fanatic and East Is East, for which he received a BAFTA best actor nomination. The BFI notes that he continued working in Indian films while appearing in productions in Britain and the United States. These selected credits illustrate the range of his career across industries and languages; they do not amount to a complete filmography or a judgement on every performance.[2]
A return to the stage
In a 2012 Hindustan Times interview, Puri looked back on theatre as the foundation of his acting and explained why film work had occupied much of his time. He discussed returning to the stage with Teri Amrita, a Punjabi adaptation of Love Letters, and said he had translated the work. Puri also recalled leaving a government job to study at the National School of Drama before attending the film institute. His account gives his own explanation of choices between stage and screen at that point in his life, including the practical need to earn a living from acting.[3]
Sources & notes
Source records include access dates and, where known, limits on what was examined. Checks used AI assistance; independent human or specialist review has not been completed.
- Sudarshna Dwivedi; Om Puri. We don’t have the courage to make the kind of movies we want to ↗Written record · Source date: publication date not established · Locator: Patiala, theatre training and National School of Drama. Accessed 2026-11-03.Selected written evidence inspected; films and performances not reviewed.Return to Patiala and theatre training, paragraph 1 ↑
- Sam Wigley; British Film Institute. Om Puri, veteran Indian actor, dies aged 66 ↗Written record · Source date: 2017-01-06 · Locator: Film career and British screen work. Accessed 2026-11-03.Selected written evidence inspected; films and performances not reviewed.Return to Indian and British screen work, paragraph 1 ↑
- Hindustan Times; Om Puri. To lead a better life, I had to opt for commercial films ↗Written record · Source date: 2012-12-08 · Locator: Theatre, training and Punjabi adaptation. Accessed 2026-11-03.Selected written evidence inspected; films and performances not reviewed.Return to A return to the stage, paragraph 1 ↑
Record PH-PEO-0191 · English edition · human review not performed