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A hand dazzling with colourful rings tapped a glowing orb and the voice thundered, “Mogambo khush hua…” This image is embedded in the minds of thousands of Indians who grew up parroting the line from Shekhar Kapur’s sci-fi film Mr.India. Unarguably, Amrish Puri was the man of his times. We take you through some of the actor’s most memorable roles on the occasion of his birth anniversary on June 22.
One of the most memorable villains of Bollywood, Amrish Puri made his debut with Prem Pujari in 1970 and went on to act in critically acclaimed films like Ardh Satya, Gandhi and Manthan. Amrish Puri was then re-discovered as the demonic priest in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom in 1984. With his baritone voice, bald plate and bulging eyes, Mola Ram was badness personified!
Then came the unforgettable, narcissistic super-villain, Mogambo, who stole the thunder from Anil Kapoor in Shekhar Kapur’s Mr. India. With rumours of Salman Khan playing his role Mr. India 2, we’re wondering what his look will be like…
In 1993, Amrish Puri played the scheming lawyer Indrajit Chaddha in Damini. His characteristic flick of his hair became as famous as Sunny Deol’s Dhai-Kilo-Ka-Haath and Tareekh-Pe-Tareekh dialogues from the film.
He followed these with memorable roles like the strict patriarch in Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995) who eventually lets his daughter choose her own destiny. He played a similar role in the Shah Rukh Khan starrer Mohabbatein (2000) as Maj. Gen. Khanna.
Amrish Puri usually played the stereotypical villain, and sometimes the villain with a heart of gold. It’s interesting to note that he acted as Priyanka Chopra’s father in Mujhse Shaadi Karogi in 2004 and her husband in the film Aitraaz in the same year!
Amrish Puri’s 35-year-long career spanned more than 250 films in 7 different languages and with some of the best talents of the film industry. Here’s to the brilliant actor behind Mogamo, Thakur Durjan Singh, Mola Ram… Happy Birthday!
By Koimoi Team
