Om Puri Birth Anniversary: Here's The Reason Why The Late Actor Decided His Own Birthday Date

Had Om Puri been alive, he would have turned 72 today (October 18, 2022)! Known as one of the most versatile actors in Indian cinema, he was known for making a mark with his author-backed roles in mainstream and indie cinema.

While it's known to all that he was born in Ambala (then in Punjab), there is a dispute regarding the date and year of his birth. His wife ex-wife Nandita Puri had once revealed in a column for Indian Express that there are neither any birth certificate nor record, but late Om Puri's mother, Tara Devi always told him he was born two days after Dussehra. She was unsure whether whether the year was 1949 or 1950.

When a young Om Puri joined school, his maternal uncle chose March 9, 1950 as his official date of birth. However, years later, when he landed in Mumbai (then Bombay) to pursue acting after his stint at National School Of Drama (NSD), he chose two days after Dussehra that year i.e October 18.

Further, in the same column, Nandita Puri had also revealed that the late actor would never make a fuss about his birthday or any other milestones. She revealed that he would spend most of his birthdays relishing home-cooked kheer. Also, he used to cherish the letter from the late Sunil Dutt and Hrishikesh Mukherjee's message on the answering machine.

A recipient of multiple awards including two National Awards for Best Actor (Arohan and Ardh Satya), Om Puri also featured in many international films like Gandhi, East Is East, My Son The Fanatic, to name a few.

The BAFTA-nominated star passed away on January 6, 2017 at the age of 66 due to heart attack. His demise left an irreplacable void in Indian cinema.