Film-maker Udayan Prasad has a point when he showers praise on Om Puri in these words, “He’s always surprising you — you think you know how exactly he’s going to play a scene and then he does something different, and better.”

It’s not just the art of acting that the film-maker is referring to. Om Puri is an opinionated man. He speaks his mind and doesn’t beat about the bush. Strike up a conversation with him, and the phrase ‘political correctness’ will move out of the equation. This means he doesn’t mince words, almost all the time.

Om Puri who, according to an Indian movie critic, is the finest actor of post-partition India, is nowadays busy filming in Karachi his first Pakistani film, Actor in Law. The following brief interview took place immediately after the project was formally launched at a press conference in a local hotel.

What memories can you share about your home city Patiala?

I was actually born in Ambala. I was very young when my father took me to other parts of Punjab — Bathinda, Patiala, Amritsar etc. I know all these places …

The reason I asked you about Patiala is that you’ve been to the Pakistani Punjab a few times. There are similarities between the two, like that of the Punjabi language.

Yes, we speak the same language. There’s not much difference.

“Aamir Khan gave an irresponsible statement. He shouldn’t have. If Aamir has become a super star it is not because of the Muslim population in India alone. He has a big number of admirers belonging to other communities.”

How does that put partition into perspective?

Well, brothers tend to part ways. There’s nothing wrong with that, koi harj nahin. But the kind of bloodshed that was witnessed during the partition of India was horrendous. I don’t think that that many people were killed in any other event in history. It shouldn’t have happened. We’ve made some films in India on the subject. Tamas is one of them.

Maachis also touched upon that subject.

No, Maachis was on the 1980s riots in (Indian) Punjab. But yes, there was one line in it which I found hard to say about the partition when the character talks about half of his life lost during partition and half in the ’80s.

You worked in a Marathi film early in your career and now Ghayal — Once Again is about to be released. It’s a long journey, and along the way you worked in international projects (City of Joy, East is East). How do you see yourself evolving as an actor?

Well, one keeps evolving as an actor. That process never ends. One gets to learn things on a regular basis.

Everyone knows about your fondness for theatre. How do you reconcile theatre and film acting?

I brought one of my Punjabi theatre plays to Lahore. It was very well received. People wanted us to do more. I enjoy theatre. This does not mean that I don’t enjoy films. But in films there are a lot of distractions — lights, hubbub caused by the paraphernalia etc. You need to focus hard; whereas in theatre the audience does the work for you (their response encourages the actor). Theatre is the actor’s medium.

Are you okay with the kind of cinema that’s being made in India?

Cinema is a powerful medium. But it’s not being used the way it ought to be. Directors and producers should use it with more responsibility. It is one thing to provide entertainment and do business, but irresponsible attitude should be avoided … ghaer zimadari nahin honi chahiye. Cinema is not meant for titillation. Film-makers are not paying attention to hard-hitting subjects. For example, the issue of farmers (kisaan) is an important one in India. Farmers are committing suicide. We need to pay heed to them. And that’s the kind of subjects that I’m talking about.

What’s your view on the wave of extremism that has lately engulfed India?

It saddened me when a poor Muslim man was killed because of the beef controversy. I condemn it. The perpetrators should be punished. India is a beef exporter.

I was referring to the statements made by Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan, and the hostile response that ensued.

Aamir Khan gave an irresponsible statement. He shouldn’t have. What message did he want to convey by saying that his wife suggested to him that they leave India? He can leave the country because he has the means to do so. There are 22 crore Muslims in India. If Aamir has become a super star it is not because of the Muslim population in India alone. He has a big number of admirers belonging to other communities. I don’t think he should have said that.

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, January 17th, 2016