Amrish Puri learned acting by watching Tom and Jerry: Seeing his acting, Raj Kapoor had said- you will become the pride of the industry one day

When we talk about iconic and dangerous villains of Indian cinema, the first name that comes to mind is Amrish Puri. Born on 22 June 1932 in Nawanshahr Jalandhar, Punjab, Amrish Puri’s 92nd birth anniversary is today. On the actor’s birth anniversary, his grandson Vardhan Puri came to the office of Dainik Bhaskar in Mumbai and became emotional remembering his grandfather.

Amrish Puri is fondly called Dadu by Vardhan Puri. During the conversation, Vardhan told that many big personalities of the industry were fans of Dadu’s plays. Once Raj Kapoor sahab came to watch the play and the auditorium was full of people. He watched the play sitting on the floor. After the play was over, he went on stage and hugged Dadu and said that Amrish will become the pride of the industry one day.

Vardhan considered his grandfather as his best friend. He says- Grandfather was my best friend and will always be. Whenever his name is mentioned, there is a smile on my face and tears in my eyes. The atmosphere at home was like that of a middle class family. Because of the image of Grandfather, school children were afraid to come to his home. Grandfather loved Tom and Jerry.

Today on the birth anniversary of Amrish Puri, let’s know some interesting stories from his grandson Vardhan Puri, in his own words…

We didn’t know that Dadu is a big star

We were not allowed to go to Dadu’s shooting. Grandfather and grandmother believed that if we go to the set, we will go mad. We will start feeling that we are different or special from other children. The atmosphere at home was also very simple. My sister and I were brought up in a middle class family. We never knew that Dadu was a big star. We thought that our grandfather was like other grandfathers, who go to office in the morning and come home at night.

The hotel manager did not take the bill

When we used to go out for dinner or to someone’s house, seeing the crowd of people, shouting his name, we realized that Dadu was a big celebrity. Once we went to Taj Hotel for dinner. The manager and the rest of the hotel staff came and stood around us. I am thinking that this kind of hospitality was not being given to the other tables. The manager did not take the bill from Dadu. He packed the cake and gave it to us. I kept thinking throughout the way that Dadu must be a big celebrity.

The parents of the school children used to forbid them from coming to my house

Looking at the villainous image of Dadu in films, parents of school children used to tell them to befriend Vardhan but not to go to his house. Who knows what kind of atmosphere would be there at home? People used to think that Dadu’s image in films would be a big deal at home. He would be sitting on a chair, smoking a cigar and sipping wine.

never drank alcohol or smoked cigarettes

Dadu never touched alcohol or cigarettes. He was very disciplined. But after watching the movies, people had a different perception about him. Because of this, the school children were very scared of him. Before coming to my house, they used to ask whether Amrish ji is at home? They used to say that they will come when Dadu is not at home.

Once Dadu came to know about this. Dadu was at home. We were playing. Dadu came inside and seeing him all the children started crying loudly. But Dadu mingled with the children in such a way that the children enjoyed playing with him. The children themselves started telling their parents that I want to go to Amrish Puri uncle’s house.

Was banned from going to the set

Once I went to the set of the film ‘Chori Chori Chupke Chupke’ with my sister and aunt’s children. The assistant directors and the production people were very happy that Amrish Puri’s family had come. Someone asked me what would I eat? I said I would eat a sandwich and my sister said she would drink coffee.

Sandwiches and coffee are coming from Taj Hotel and we are being served in silver plates. They thought that Dadu will be happy to see all this. But when Dadu came to know about it, he got very angry. He said, why are you treating the children like this? They will go crazy. If they have asked for something, give them chocolates, they will be happy with that. After that, Dadu had banned them from going to the set forever.

Was not allowed to work as a child artist

As a child artist, I got a chance to work with a grandfather in Subhash Ghai’s film ‘Pardes’. I was very excited that I was getting a chance to work with my grandfather. I was celebrating this happiness. But my grandfather refused. He said that this would affect my studies. I became very sad. I also got angry with my grandfather.

It was not that Dadu was against my acting career. He believed that any work should be done on time. First, become capable enough to take a decision about yourself. That role was later played by Aditya Narayan. Grandmother explained that Dadu is doing this for your own good. You will understand his point when you grow up. When I was 15-16 years old, I understood that Dadu was right.

Film politics and gossip culture were not at home

We used to talk about films at home, but not about films. We did not talk about gossip and film politics. We used to talk about stories and techniques at home. We used to talk about the film process of the greats. We used to talk about the film making process of Raj Kapoor, Yash Chopra and Subhash Ghai. The atmosphere at home is very positive. Dadu’s father, that is, my great grandfather Nihal Chand Puri had decided that the culture of gossip will not work in our family. Whoever is interested in all these things will go out of the house and talk about them.

Yash Chopra had said that ‘Phool Aur Kaante’ made him a super hit

Yash Chopra sahab’s ‘Lamhe’ and Ajay Devgan’s debut film ‘Phool Aur Kaante’ were released simultaneously. All the big names were in ‘Lamhe’. Apart from Dadu, everyone was new in ‘Phool Aur Kaante’. At that time, no one was talking about Phool Aur Kaante. Everyone was sure that ‘Lamhe’ would be a superhit. It was an amazing film, but it did not work. ‘Phool Aur Kaante’ became a superhit. Yash Chopra ji called Dadu and said, ‘Amrish Puri sahab, you have done a great job, we had such a big film, it is not working. You made ‘Phool Aur Kaante’ a superhit. Everyone is saying that you are the selling point of the film. This is called Amrish Puri magic.’

Raj Kapoor watched the play sitting on the ground

Many big personalities of the industry were big fans of Dadu’s plays. Dadu told me that one day it was raining very heavily. The roads were flooded. Raj Kapoor sahab came to watch the play. The auditorium was full of people. Raj Kapoor sahab watched the play sitting on the ground. After the play was over, he went on stage and hugged Dadu. While kissing his ear, he said – Amrish, one day you will become the pride of the industry, that time is about to come.

Has a very special bond with the Kapoor family

We have a very special bond with the Kapoor family. Our family’s first house in Matunga is still there. Next to it is the Kapoor family’s house. Raj Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor, Shashi Kapoor, Randhir Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, Rajiv Kapoor grew up there. When my grandmother was pregnant, Shashi Kapoor’s wife was also pregnant at the same time. We used to go for a walk together. Since then our family has a bond with the Kapoor family. Raj Kapoor sahab had told Rishi Kapoor uncle about Dadu that one day this bomb is going to explode. When it explodes, the whole world will hear its echo.

Madan Puri told Subhash Ghai about Amrish Puri

Dadu had a very sweet relationship with Subhash Ghai sahab. He used only Dadu’s voice in his first film. Ghai sahab used to work with Madan Dadu (Madan Puri). Madan Dadu told Subhash Ghai sahab about Dadu that I have a younger brother. He is a better actor than me. If you meet him, you will forget all the villains, meet him once.

Subhash Ghai had captured Dadu’s mind at first sight

Apart from working in ESIC, Dadu also used to do theatre. One day Madan went to Dadu’s set and touched his feet. Ghai sahab noticed him. He said that he had never seen such a Roman face. Since then, he had Dadu in his mind. Whenever he wrote a script, he used to write it keeping Dadu’s image in mind. The way Ghai sahab has shot Dadu’s introduction scene in ‘Hero’, I have not seen such an introduction scene of any character in any other film.

Tom and Jerry was my favorite program

I used to sit and watch Tom and Jerry with Dadu. Dadu used to tell me that he learned acting by watching Tom and Jerry. Dadu found the acting of Tom and Jerry and the chemistry between them amazing. He always used to say that if you want to learn acting, then watch Tom and Jerry. There is no more entertaining show than this.

The level of entertainment in this show is unbeatable. Apart from this, he used to watch a lot of Charlie Chaplin’s movies. He had a lot of respect for Kishore Kumar. He used to say that no artist like him has been born and will never be born. He used to watch all of Kishore Da’s movies.

Mughal-e-Azam seen 300 times

Apart from all the films of Kishore Kumar, Dadu used to watch Raj Kapoor’s films. We must have watched ‘Mughal-e-Azam’ 300 times with Dadu in our home theatre. Do Bigha Zameen, Pyaasa, Awara, Bobby, Mr. India have been Dadu’s favourite films. He used to watch every film again and again. Dadu used to say – I watch a film first for the story. Then I watch it separately for performance, technique, background music, cinematography. In this way Dadu used to watch every film 20-25 times.

I wanted to do theater a lot

Dadu was very keen to do theatre. But he was not able to do theatre due to being busy with films. But three years before his death, he did a play ‘Kanupriya’ in Pune, which was directed by Satyadev Dubey. I could not go there. But Amol Palekar sahab told a very amazing story. When Dadu was performing, he got goosebumps. Because he was performing after many years.

As soon as the performance ended and the curtain closed, he fell on the floor and started crying. Everyone was worried about what had happened. He kept crying for 10 minutes. When he got up, he said only one thing that every artist lives for this moment. When he connects directly with the audience. Which is not found in cinema.

The industry remained closed for two days after his death

Amrish Puri died on 12 January 2004. Vardhan said- There is never a holiday in the film industry. When Dadu died, there was no shooting for two days. Everyone was mourning at home, crying, everyone was sad. Everyone was saying that this is the first time in the industry that no one worked. There can be no greater honour than the honour given to Dadu by the film industry.