Flashback Friday: By shouting ‘Ashraf Ali…’ Sunny Deol had added to ‘Gadar’. Suddenly the crowd chanting ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ from behind calms down. The music playing in the background also stops. The only sound is the rustling of the wind. And a goosebumps scene emerges. Tell me the truth, this entire scene became so good only because of Sunny Deol? No, a big reason for this was Amrish Puri in the character of Ashraf Ali standing in front of him with a harsh and heavy voice and an amazing expression of a pure villain. If he had not troubled Tara Singh so much, Tara Singh would not have become such a big hero.
In true sense, the heroes of the films in which Amrish Puri worked became bigger. Sometimes he was seen playing Thakur in ‘Aaj Ka Arjun’ and inflicting so much atrocities that Amitabh Bachchan had to rebel, while sometimes playing Thakur Durjan Singh in ‘Karan Arjun’, he tortured so much that the characters of Shahrukh and Salman had to take second birth to take their revenge. Fell. You must have heard many things and stories about Amrish Puri, but what we are going to tell today is completely different from those stories. The story is that one of the biggest directors in the world who has made films like ‘Jurassic Park’ and ‘Schindler’s List’ is Steven Spielberg. Our ‘Mogambo’ has once again got angry with someone with whom it is the dream of any big Hollywood actor to work. You know that story….
What’s the Story?
Actually, Steven Spielberg was preparing to make ‘Indiana Jones the Temple of Doom’. He needed a dangerous villain for his film. Casting director Dolly Thakore came forward to help him in his search and sent the photo of the role played by Amrish Puri in the 1980 film ‘Gahrai’ to Spielberg. Spielberg was so impressed that he was able to imagine only Amrish Puri as the villain in his film. So he sent the casting director to India, so that he could go and talk to Amrish Puri for the role. According to Amrish Puri’s autobiography, he refused to give the audition. He asked Spielberg to come to the set and watch him act.
The next story became more interesting
Hardly anyone would have thought that Spielberg himself would come to India and talk to Amrish Puri. But what happened was what Amrish Puri wanted. Spielberg was so impressed by Amrish Puri that he followed his advice and came to India. When Amrish Puri was asked to speak dialogues in English in front of the director, he flatly refused. His argument was, “How does Spielberg know what language I speak?” He might know me only as an actor.
When did Spielberg become more influenced by Amrish Puri?
The influence that Amrish Puri had on Spielberg before coming to India was definitely there. The amazing thing is that after his arrival in India, when Spielberg came to know that Amrish Puri was doing 22 films at the same time, he was very impressed. Amrish Puri’s son Rajiv Puri had told ETimes, “I have been told that this was the only time when Spielberg himself came to India to audition an actor. This happened because he wanted to meet father. He met him and came here and got the film signed.
Rajiv Puri had also revealed that after seeing his father’s hairless look, Spielberg had said that he liked this look and he should not grow hair. We will keep this look in the film and the same thing happened. In ‘Indian Jones..’, Amrish Puri looked completely bald in the character of Molaram, the villain who tears the chest and takes out the heart.
Spielberg had become a fan of Amrish Puri
According to the website The Hollywood Reporter, this film, released in 1984, had earned 331 million dollars worldwide. Spielberg had publicly said this during interviews on several occasions, “Amrish Puri is my favorite villain.” He is so excellent that such a villain has never existed and probably never will.
Late actor Puri’s family still has the note written by Spielberg. In which it is written, “As a dangerous villain, there is no one like you.” You are unique and a wonderful person. I loved every minute of the work we did together. I would love to work with you again.”
but the truth that hurts
This super villain also had to face the bitterest truth of life. Everything came to a standstill on January 12, 2005, when it was revealed that Amrish Puri was no more. It is not that Amrish Puri was only a brilliant villain. Apart from being a brilliant comedian (Chachi 420, Mujhe Kuchh Kahna Hai, Hustle) he was equally wonderful as Simran’s father in ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’. Finally, the most important thing is that what Amrish Puri looked like on screen was actually the opposite in life. He was a person with a wonderful and beautiful heart. Even today, those who knew him do not shy away from reading ballads of his brilliant personality.
