When Om Puri Opened Up About One Department Where Indian Cinema Is Better Than Hollywood

Late acting legend Om Puri was one of rare Bollywood actors who achieved popularity in west as well. actor’s first big Hollywood film was City of Joy, where he co-star with Dirty Dancing star Patrick Swayze. In a 30 year old interview, Om Puri spoke about his experience of working in American films, and that experience differs from his times working in Hindi movies.

No western filmmaker can make a Sholay with such limited resources: Om Puri

Talking about differences between Hindi film industry and Hollywood, Puri noted, “ atmosphere of our film-making industry is not that discipline where artists can give ir best work in ir process. re are only a handful of filmmakers like Subhash Ghai, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Ramesh Sippy as exception. While we make 700-800 films a year, only around 25 films are me in a way that you could call slick, professional filmmaking.”

However, Puri took note of one aspect in which Indian technicians outdo ir western counterparts by a mile. He ded, “ way Govind Nihlani me Tamas, or Ramesh Sippy me Sholay, no western director can make a film of that standard with that kind of resources.”

Our technicians are ept at improvising, Om Puri noted 

Om Puri acknowledged improvising capabilities of Indian technicians, and ir ability to make best of available tools and resources. He ded, “If our filmmakers don’t have a trolley, y will get a wheel chair, a smooth-surfaced plank of ply and use m in way that creates effect of a trolley.”

Om Puri recalled anor incident where noted cinematographer Ashok Mehta once did not have a crane for a shot. So he climbed a tree and created a make shift hammock that could be pulled up and down with a pulley, and that’s how he achieved crane shot wanted. Puri ded, “Our technicians are ept at improvising this way. If western filmmakers don’t get equipment y want, y mind often stops working.”

After establishing his prowess in 70s and 80s with films like Aakrosh, Ardh Satya and Party, Om Puri became one of rare Indian actors to make his presence felt in Hollywood. Puri worked in many popular western films like City of Joy, and East is East among ors.

Om Puri passed away in January 2017 after having a heart attack at his Mumbai residence.