Om Puri talks about Partition, Indo-Pak relations in throwback interview

Late Bollywood icon will be seen one last time on-screen in 'Lashtam Pashtam', releasing August 10

Om Puri, who ventured into Pakistani cinema with the Fahad Mustafa and Mehwish Hayat-starrer Actor in Law, opened up about Indo-Pak tensions in his last interview before passing away in January 2017.

Fans of the veteran Bollywood icon will get to see him one last time on-screen in Lashtam Pashtam, which he shot for in the days before his death. The film, releasing on August 10, will see Puri playing a Pakistani taxi driver, reported Pinkvilla.

PHOTO: INDIA.COM

An interview of the late actor with the film's director, Manav Bhalla, has now resurfaced. Speaking about his character in Lashtam Pashtam, the Singh Is Kinng actor had said, "I play a Pakistani taxi driver. An Indian who is lost in Pakistan and wishes to go to Islamabad, which is burning due to bomb blasts, asks me to take him there."

He continued, "I refuse him instantly but the youngster is so desperate to go to Islamabad. Though he is Indian, I decide to help him out, despite knowing that there are a lot of risks involved."

PHOTO: INDEPENDENT.CO

When asked about the message he wants people to take away from his character, Puri earlier shared, "My character itself is giving out a message. Manav has written it in such a way that tells people that hatred should end as it has no specific reason and we are fighting forcefully. We are all humans and we have stayed together for years. Mughal rulers stayed here for almost 600 years. Before independence, we all stayed together, we have learned from all the etiquettes (tehzeeb). Yes, there have been some issues but like there is a dialogue in the film that issues happen at home also, amongst Hindu brothers also and also amongst the relatives."

PHOTO: FILMFARE

He added, "When the Partition happened, brothers thought that let one brother stay this side and other on the other side and this won’t change much as they can anytime come on each other's side. But they never thought the situation would become so bad. So this partition was the partition of relationships, emotions, and feelings and it’s a really painful thing."

Puri stated that people have to be reminded time and again to live and let live. "People must learn how to move on as we have sacrificed a lot during the Partition."

PHOTO: REUTERS

On working with a completely new team, Puri commented, "I didn’t know that it’s a new team, if I would have been aware of it, then I might not have taken up the project (laughed). I never felt that it’s a new team. You guys studied well, learned everything before starting the film; aise hi thodi aakar camera pakde aur chal diye!"

Watch the full interview here:


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