To get satisfied in every film is impossible Om Puri

Comments [ 0 ] By Indra D. | 08 July 2008 | 1:04pm

Om Puri, after his comic portrayal, will soon be seen playing a serious role of a police officer in his upcoming release Mukhbiir. Let’s see what Om Puri has to say about his new film and how he reasons about him shifting his focus on commercial cinema leaving his trademark arties behind.

Q. Please elaborate about the character you portray in Mukhbiir…
A. In Mukhbiir I am playing the character of a serious police officer who takes his work very seriously. He uses the hero to solve cases for police as the hero is an informer. Instead of being a strict police officer his behaviour towards the hero is very lenient. Normally police forgets about its informers once they use them. But over here the cop’s sympathy always remains with his informer. He dies but never brings out the name of his informer in open.

Q. Do you make different preparations before portraying your characters in commercial and art cinemas?
A. Being an actor I always look upon any of my characters equally whether working in art or commercial masala cinema. There are few things which need to be changed but ultimately it’s your job as an actor to work on those minute things seriously. The only difference I find between the characters associated with the commercial and art cinema is that the characters of commercial cinema aren’t that real which you find in art cinema. They showcase them larger then life. For example take a six years old child’s character in a commercial <a href= Om Puri" src="http://www.india-forums.com/bollywood/images/uploads/om_puri_big.jpg" align="right" border="" hspace="5" vspace="5"> cinema who vows in front of his mother to take revenge with the villains responsible for his father’s death. In reality, you would never find such a kid.

Q. How much do you enjoy while playing your character?
A. I enjoy a lot because I bring a huge amount at my home in term of cheques. I become happy on seeing my cheques only. Frankly, I chose commercial cinema over art ones only because of huge money associated with commercial films.

Q. But does this move satisfy you as an actor?
A. I always find ways to satisfy my inner actor. Along with films like Mukhbiir I also do a lot of foreign films. To get satisfied in every film is impossible.

Q. Did the director have you in mind before discussing the character with the writer?
A. The truth is no one writes or makes other write thinking about any actor. These all are rubbish talks.

Q. Why are you saying like this?
A. Why shouldn’t I, as what I am saying is a truth! If you want me to work in your film and if you write a particular character keeping me in mind, wouldn’t you first consult me that you are writing a character for me and whether I would like to work in the film? That’s why I said, all these are rubbish talks. If I deny working in the project then they would go to some other actor and repeat the same lines that they have written the character keeping only him in mind.

Q. What kind of message would we expect with issue-based film Mukhbiir?
A. Through this film we have tried to highlight the difficult and dangerous life of an informer. Along with it we have also tried to request to the police department that a man who, instead of being out of the department, dedicates his life for the job and for that single reason the informer should be given the due respect. He should not only be used for getting information but also be helped to make his life better. He shouldn’t be left on the road after being used.

Q. Normally, in police-based films, a cop is been shown as a hero but over here instead of cop the informer is the hero!
A. That’s because the whole film is based on the informer. Anyways, even I am the hero along with the informer, but like other heroes this one doesn’t dance and sing. Yeah, sometimes when my legs get entangled with my stomach I do dance like you saw in Mere Baap Pehle Aaap.

Q. Many people think that film like Mere Baap Pehle Aap has spoiled the image of Om Puri…
A. No, I don’t think so as the cheque which I got home for the film was heavily amounted. Yeah, I do agree that I would have done much better but from where should one get that betterment from! If one doesn’t get good roles and at the same time he doesn’t want to do bad ones then he would have no other option than to shut his door and get confined in his own home.

Q. Do you believe in camps? If yes, which camp do you think you belong to?
A. I totally believe in different camps associated with our film industry like Benegal camp, Nihalani camp etc. For the time being I am associated with Priyadarshan camp. Before this I was dear to David but since few of his films released without me having a role in them, I am no more dear to him. Other than this, I am not associated with any regular camp.

Q. Please tell us about your forthcoming releases.
A. Apart from Mukhbiir, I am working in Maharathi, Delhi 6, Kushti, Singh Is Kinng and Billo Barber. In Maharathi I am playing the character of an investigating officer while in Delhi 6 I will get into the skin of a businessman’s character. In Kushti I portray the character of a former wrestler and in Singh Is Kinng I am Akshay Kumar’s friend ‘Village Bomb’ whereas in Billo Barber, I am portraying the character of a zamindar. It’s only in Singh Is Kinng and Billo Barber where I would be seen playing comic characters.

-Rajnee Gupta