Amrish Puri Death Anniversary 2024: Interesting facts about the late actor

Updated On: 13 January, 2024 03:05 PM IST | Tuhina Upadhyay

On the death anniversary of the legendary Bollywood actor Amrish Puri, we remember the iconic actor by presenting some interesting facts about him and pictures you may have not seen before 

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On the death anniversary of the legendary Bollywood actor Amrish Puri, we remember the iconic actor by presenting some interesting facts about him and pictures you may have not seen before

<p>Amrish Puri was born on June 22, 1932, in Jalandhar (Punjab) to a Punjabi-speaking Khatri family of Nihal Chand Puri and Ved Kaur. (All photos/mid-day archives)</p>

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Amrish Puri was born on June 22, 1932, in Jalandhar (Punjab) to a Punjabi-speaking Khatri family of Nihal Chand Puri and Ved Kaur. (All photos/mid-day archives)

<p>The actor had four siblings, elder brothers/renowned actors Chaman Puri and Madan Puri, elder sister Chandrakanta, and a younger brother, Harish Puri. </p>

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The actor had four siblings, elder brothers/renowned actors Chaman Puri and Madan Puri, elder sister Chandrakanta, and a younger brother, Harish Puri.

<p>Amrish Puri entered the film industry hoping to become a hero. He failed his first screen test, following which he landed a job with the Employees` State Insurance Corporation (ESIC).</p>

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Amrish Puri entered the film industry hoping to become a hero. He failed his first screen test, following which he landed a job with the Employees` State Insurance Corporation (ESIC).

<p>Even while doing his mundane job, his passion for acting was intact. Amrish Puri acted in plays at Prithvi Theatre written by the legendary Satyadev Dubey.</p>

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Even while doing his mundane job, his passion for acting was intact. Amrish Puri acted in plays at Prithvi Theatre written by the legendary Satyadev Dubey.

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He earned a lot of recognition as a stage actor and even won the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1979.

In picture: Amrish Puri with another iconic villain Gulshan Grover.

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Following the success on stage, Amrish Puri got to work in television commercials.

In picture: Amrish Puri with Amitabh Bachchan and other guests at an event.

<p>By the time he made his film debut, Amrish Puri was in his late 30s. He had a bit role in Dev Anand`s Prem Pujari (1970) which also starred his brother Madan Puri.</p>
<p>In picture: Amrish Puri looks menacing in this look from one of his films.</p>

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By the time he made his film debut, Amrish Puri was in his late 30s. He had a bit role in Dev Anand`s Prem Pujari (1970) which also starred his brother Madan Puri.

In picture: Amrish Puri looks menacing in this look from one of his films.

<p>Amrish Puri`s first full-fledged celluloid role was in the Marathi movie Shantata! Court Chalu Aahe, in which he played a blind man singing in a railway compartment.</p>
<p>In picture: Amrish Puri with Neena Gupta a still from a film.</p>

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Amrish Puri`s first full-fledged celluloid role was in the Marathi movie Shantata! Court Chalu Aahe, in which he played a blind man singing in a railway compartment.

In picture: Amrish Puri with Neena Gupta a still from a film.

<p>Amrish Puri later starred in Sunil Dutt produced and directed Reshma Aur Shera (1972) which also starred Waheeda Rahman, Shatrughan Sinha, Prem Chopra, among others.</p>

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Amrish Puri later starred in Sunil Dutt produced and directed Reshma Aur Shera (1972) which also starred Waheeda Rahman, Shatrughan Sinha, Prem Chopra, among others.

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Apart from Hindi, Amrish Puri acted in Kannada, Marathi, Hollywood, Punjabi, Malayalam, Telugu and Tamil films.

In pic: Amrish Puri with Bharat Dabholkar and Sudesh Bhonsle.

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Overall, Amrish Puri appeared in nearly 400 films which also includes Hollywood films.

In picture: Amrish Puri with Om Puri, Amitabh Bachchan and Kareena Kapoor Khan.

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Amrish Puri portrayed the character of Mola Ram, a Thuggee priest in Steven Spielberg`s Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

In pic: Amrish Puri in a still from Anil Kapoor-starrer Nayak (2001).

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In one of his interviews, Spielberg commented, `Amrish is my favourite villain -- The best the world has ever produced and ever will.`

In picture: Amrish Puri and Govinda in a still from their film.

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At first, Amrish Puri was reluctant to act in Indiana Jones`, but Sir Richard Attenborough convinced him to take up the character.

In picture: Amrish Puri in his character from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

<p>In Indian Jones, Amrish Puri shaved his head for the first time, and it went on to become a trademark in subsequent Bollywood films, where he played the dreaded villain.</p>
<p>In picture: Amrish Puri in his iconic look of Mogambo from Mr. India (1987).</p>

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In Indian Jones, Amrish Puri shaved his head for the first time, and it went on to become a trademark in subsequent Bollywood films, where he played the dreaded villain.

In picture: Amrish Puri in his iconic look of Mogambo from Mr. India (1987).

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Amrish Puri had a brief role as Khan in Attenborough`s Gandhi (1982).

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Amrish Puri had a passion for hats and had a collection of nearly 200 gathered from across the globe.

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Amrish Puri`s last film appearance was in Kachchi Sadak (released in 2006).

In picture: Amrish Puri and Shakti Kapoor a still from `Nafrat Ki Aandhi`.

<p>Amrish Puri was suffering from myelodysplastic syndrome, a rare kind of blood cancer, and had undergone some brain invasive surgery for his condition after he was admitted to the Hinduja hospital in 2004.</p>

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Amrish Puri was suffering from myelodysplastic syndrome, a rare kind of blood cancer, and had undergone some brain invasive surgery for his condition after he was admitted to the Hinduja hospital in 2004.

<p>Amrish Puri died following a brain haemorrhage in 2005. His condition required frequent removal of the blood accumulated in the cerebral region of the brain.</p>

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Amrish Puri died following a brain haemorrhage in 2005. His condition required frequent removal of the blood accumulated in the cerebral region of the brain.

<p>Amrish Puri had slipped into coma shortly before his death on January 12, 2005. In a career spanning over three decades, the veteran actor starred in over 200 films.</p>
<p>We miss you Amrish ji!</p>

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Amrish Puri had slipped into coma shortly before his death on January 12, 2005. In a career spanning over three decades, the veteran actor starred in over 200 films.

We miss you Amrish ji!

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Amrish Puri Death Anniversary 2024: Interesting facts about the late actor

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High tidal waves in Mumbai delay Lalbaugcha Raja`s visarjan