Mumbai, July 5, 2026
The late actor Om Puri once spoke about how his friend, veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah has always stood by him. An old video of the actors have resurfaced on the Internet, and it shows Om Puri talking about how it was his friend, who insisted him to join the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) Pune.
In the video, he can be seen talking to Anupam Kher and Naseeruddin Shah. He said, “There were many people in my life who helped me in their own way. My parents only gave birth to me. I was brought up by my friends. One is sitting next to me. He has given me gifts many times. When I went for an interview at the Film Institute, I didn’t have a decent shirt. So, he gave me his shirt and asked me to remove the one that I was wearing”.
He further mentioned, “I am indebted to him. I am indebted to him because, Govind Nihalani, Shyam Benegal, I agree that they are my mentors here. But, the push that this guy has given me, if Naseeruddin Shah hadn’t pushed me, I wouldn’t have reached here today. He told me, ‘You will have to come to the Film Institute. You will have to come’. I told him that I don’t have money. I don’t even have anything. He said, ‘No, you beg, borrow, steal. But, you have to come to the Film Institute’. These days, you don’t find friendship like this”.
The friendship between the 2 actors weighed in gold. They shared one of Indian cinema’s most respected friendships. Both came from the world of theatre and the National School of Drama, becoming key figures of the parallel cinema movement. Their bond was built on shared struggles, artistic respect, and a passion for realistic acting.(Agency)
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