'I'm Being Used As A Potato For 25 Years'

'...be it a comedy, thriller or a love story.'
'The bhindi costs Rs 30 per kilo, but the price of potato remains unchanged.'

In the final phase of his life, Om Puri was a very unhappy man.

There were many reasons for it.

On the actor's 74th birth anniversary on October 18, we re-visit an interview he had given Subhash K Jha, where he had said, "I'm often asked why I do crappy Hindi films. I have to balance my financial status with creative satisfaction. Though I've no regrets and am happy with my lifestyle, for the first first 15 years of my career, I made no money."

On not getting good roles towards the end of his career.

I'm not very happy with the films that are coming my way.

I used to do a lot more work earlier, and most of it quite happily.

A character actor with my experience should be able to do six-seven films comfortably per year, without going into multiple shifts per day.

But I'm dismayed by the drop in quality work in my career.

So far, I didn't allow myself to get bitter about it, but now, it's getting a little frustrating.

The good character roles are now being played by the saleable stars.

The process of taking over the character slots started earlier. The leading men wanted to do the villain's and then the comedian's role.

Now they want to play even those roles with four-five scenes that used to come to people like Naseer (Naseeruddin Shah) and me.

Ab to mujhe apne kaabiliyat pe shaque hone lagaa hai (I've begun to doubt my own capabilities).

Maybe I've been over-estimating myself as an actor all these years.

What's the point of being called a good actor when you aren't taken seriously even by those filmmakers who swore by the capabilities of Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri?

On being hurt by the seeming betrayal of director friends like Govind Nihalani and Prakash Jha.

Apaharan has Ajay Devgn.

I'm not against stars. He's a fine actor.

But if Prakash moves to stars, what happens to an actor like me?

All the finest film-makers of Hindi cinema, like Sanjay Bhansali, Raj Kumar Santoshi, Govind Nihalani, Ketan Mehta and Prakash Jha, want to work with big stars.

Role hi nahin milte humein!

When was the last time you saw me sink my teeth into a role?

How can I when I have nothing to do?

After Dhoop and Dev, (there was) nothing worth mentioning.

On doing away with inane roles in potboilers.

I'd rather sit at home doing nothing.

When you argue that a Govind Nihalani has to sell his film to distributors through stars, you forget Aakrosh and Ardh Satya which featured me.

Didn't these films have to be sold to the public?

On the other hand, his Dev had the biggest stars (Amitabh Bachchan, Kareena Kapoor). So what happened to the film?

A film doesn't become successful because of a star. It just has to touch the audience's heart.

I've a grouse against film-makers like Prakash Jha and Raj Santoshi (who was once an assistant to Govind Nihalani).

When they make small-budget films, they come running to Naseer or me. But when they have a sizeable budget, they don't even look at us.

I'm more hurt than angry.

Where am I supposed to go? I've proved myself repeatedly as an actor.

Hum achcha kaam karne ke liye kahan jaayen? (where do I go to do quality work?).

This industry is my home. I've no regrets about doing a two scene role in Rang De Basanti.

I had told Rakeysh Mehra that I have nothing much to do. He told me he needed me, and I'm glad.

People may have reservations about the ending, but it is a film that knocks the lid off all definitions of art and commercial cinema.

It shakes you up.

I think the star system needs to be broken. As also the film-makers' mindset.

If it's Mahabharat, it's got to be Amitabh Bachchan as Bhimsha Pitamah, Shah Rukh as Karan, Aamir as Arjun and Salman Khan as Ashwathama.

If I'm lucky and if Saif Ali Khan refuses, I get to play the sutradhar.

Earlier, an actor like me was sure to get work though less money in a specific kind of film. Now that era is gone.

On not being pleased with his fame abroad.

My success abroad is akin to the situation I faced here after Aakrosh, wherein I was only recognised by the intelligentsia and directors like Shyam Benegal, Mrinal Sen and Satyajit Ray.

Ardh Satya was my breakthrough in the commercial circuit locally. Now I need one film like Ardh Satya internationally.

But let tell you, the recognition I get from the common people abroad is amazing.

I remain essentially an Indian actor, but now, I'm widely recognised in England. They come forward to say hello. It feels nice.

A lot of people think I live in London, but I spend only about three months a year there.

I'm often asked why I do crappy Hindi films. I have to balance my financial status with creative satisfaction.

Though I've no regrets and am happy with my lifestyle, for the first 15 years of my career, I made no money.

As for success abroad, I haven't had a big breakthrough hit yet.

I've never earned big money.

Even if one is paid Rs 20 lakh, Rs 25 lakh, aadha to tax mein jaata hai.

At the end, one is left with practically nothing.

On being averse to the concept of crossover cinema.

I don't know what it means.

For Gurinder Chadha and Mira Nair, it may be new.

But why are we talking about it now?

Shouldn't we have thought about this long ago?

When an Italian or Japanese film is made for an international audience, it isn't called a crossover.

Now even Iranian cinema is making an international impact.

We should have tried it earlier. But since we had a huge market at home, we never bothered.

On international success making a difference to his stature in India.

My price has gone up steadily. Today, I'm doing around 15 Hindi films, some of them with top banners.

The other day, an old friend Rahul Rawail called to offer me a part.

He asked, 'Paise kitne loge?'

I replied, 'Bahut sarey.'

We were just bantering.

But my secretary and I are very pragmatic about my price. We evaluate a project and then quote a fee.

Someone wanted me to do a voiceover for his big budget film, but wasn't willing to pay me.

I said, 'Dekho, Dost. You have a big star in your film. If it was a commentary for a regional film or a documentary on a social issue, I would have done it for free. Why should I not charge a price for a huge budgeted film?'

I don't have a fixed price.

I am being used for the last 25 years like a potato in every dish, be it a comedy, thriller or a love story.

The bhindi costs Rs 30 per kilo, but the price of potato remains unchanged.

On his dream of producing and directing a film remaining unfulfilled.

First of all, I have to make my family and myself financially secure.

To a large extent, I'm already doing that.

If today, I decide to migrate to a small town, I don't have to worry about my income.

But I want a little more from my career.

I have certain ideas for films.

Sometimes I feel being part of an escapist entertainer is fine.

At other times, I feel like addressing issues that bother me. We have stopped reacting to corruption, but this wasn't so 15 years ago.

Everyone wants to get rich quick.

Today's middle class youth has seen his grandfather and father work all their lives.

He wants a flashy car and a posh duplex, but doesn't care how to get it.

That's how youngsters lose their way. Even the sons of the rich don't want to become politicians.

Nor do they aspire to become civil servants.

They want to become businessman.

Nobody wants to join the army any longer.

And why should they?

When a general retires, he can only afford a two bedroom flat in the city. That isn't enough any longer.