Omji led by example: Qureshi

Puri rightly deserved the eulogy at the Oscars, says Huma Qureshi

It was a moment of pride for Indians when the 89th Academy Awards paid tribute to late actor Om Puri (inset). However, back home, actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui slammed Bollywood award functions in his tweet for not mentioning the late actor. Actor Huma Qureshi, (right) who has worked with Puri in her international debut project, Viceroy’s House, feels that the late actor deserved all the adulation, but refused to comment on the tweet. She says, “I don’t know in what context he (Nawaz) said that, so it won’t be fair for me to comment. But it wasn’t a surprise at all when Omji was remembered at the Oscars. It was overwhelming to watch his mention in the remembrance video.”

The actor, who is proud to have worked with the artist, feels that while people are lauding Indian actors making a mark in the West today, Puri was among the pioneers. “He was the best actor not just in our industry but in the West too. We all know about his work in Indian cinema but globally too, he has done some legendary roles. I was lucky that I got to work with him. Since he plays my father (a blind freedom fighter) in the film, I had many scenes with him. There are some heart breaking scenes in the movie and in each scene, he contributed way more than I could ever do. He led by examples and has left a mark on everybody’s mind. I could perform much better because of him,” adds Huma.

Ask her about what she has learned from him, and Huma says besides acting, his humility is unforgettable.

“Last year on Eid, although he was a pure vegetarian, he invited himself over to my house and it was the best Eid we had. I used to call him Abba even off the sets. My parents loved him. When he died, they couldn’t believe it that such a man, so full of life, is suddenly gone.”