Bollywood actor Manoj Bajpayee believes that nobody can play Om Puri better than him if a biopic on the late actor is ever made, because he “knew him very closely”.
“I came for his prayer meet but still I am smiling because if you remember him, you can’t be upset. He was such a joyful character. I remember him with loads of happiness,” Bajpayee said during a tribute meet for the actor, who died on January 6, in Mumbai.
Bajpayee, who is regarded as a method actor and known for his unconventional roles in films, said: “Om Puri ji was one of the reasons for doing the kind of acting I am known for. He helped us to conceive the dream... Those who come from small towns. He showed us that path and achieved the top (success) which we dreamt of. After I watched his film Aakrosh, I decided if I have to do work, it has to be like this. The path I chose in films is because of Om Puri.
“People say if you have to be a good actor, you have to be a good human being first. Whenever I lost faith in this saying, I met Om Puri and my faith regained. His behaviour was same and even with everybody, whether the person was a spot boy or a millionaire,” Bajpayee recalled.
Asked if the late actor had seen Bajpayee’s last film Aligarh, he said: “No, he didn’t. But I have no regret about it because he always talked about Aligarh and Budhia Singh to everybody. He was so busy socially that [he] couldn’t make time.”
