Thespian Om Puri died from a heart attack on Friday morning at the age of 66, leaving behind him a body of work that is recognised not only in India but all across the world. Here is how news outlets from across the globe reacted to his demise.
BBC: "A versatile actor, Puri was known for his roles in Indian, Pakistani, British and Hollywood films. He was awarded an honorary OBE [Order of the British Empire] for his contribution to the British film industry in 2004."
Variety: "From middle class beginnings, Puri studied at the Film and Television Institute of India and debuted in 1976 Marathi film Ghashiram Kotwal. But with a large number of roles his career blossomed and he became a superb character actor."
Hollywood Reporter: "Over a career that stretched almost half a century, Puri starred in over 100 films. His craggy features and penchant for taking unusual roles made Puri a critics' favorite, and he gave award-winning performances in the films Aakrosh (1980) and Arohan (1982)."
CNN: "Puri was known for his versatility and appeal across global markets."
The Guardian: "A versatile artist, Puri became a key player in India's arthouse cinema scene in the 1980s and 1990s but achieved international fame for his roles in Hollywood films such as City of Joy, Wolf, and Charlie Wilson's War."
Daily Mail: "His distinctive baritone, and ability to switch seamlessly between art house, Bollywood, Hollywood and British film, made him an international star, one of the few Indian actors to cross over to the West before the likes Irrfan Khan and Priyanka Chopra made the jump."
Geo TV: "In October last year, Puri got entangled in a controversy for his comment on the killing of 19 Indian soldiers in the September Uri attacks, as he stated that Pakistani artists are not terrorists. Puri faced intense criticism for what he said, causing many Indians to label him "insensitive," and leading to an FIR being filed against him."
Khaleej Times: "Om Puri clearly was in high spirits during his visit to the Khaleej Times office, so much so that he dominated the entire conversation. Both Fahad Mustafa and Mehwish Hayat didn't get much of a chance to open up - except laugh uproariously at the veteran actor's jokes. Which left us also in splits - even after the group had left the building. We wish the ministers from both India and Pakistan would learn a thing or two about diplomacy from the legendary actor."
Dhaka Tribune: "Puri's fame extended to television too. [Govind] Nihalani's Tamas, one of the most powerful shows ever on the Partition, features Puri as a Dalit tanner who flees the violence with his heavily pregnant wife (Deepa Sahi). In Basu Chatterjee's hilarious satire Kakaji Kahin (1988), he plays a Teflon-coated power broker with a distinctive laugh."
