Sir — This refers to the report, “Om, the sound of silence! Fans feel it’s Ardh Satya” (January 7). Om Puri was a natural actor who did roles both in the art as well as commercial movies with equal elan, even as the characters he essayed were diverse in nature — villainous, heroic, comic and serious.
In Hindi films, he made a mark with Ardh Satya, where he was projected as an honest cop who helplessly falls prey to the political powers that be. In Narsimha, he successfully played the role of a villain exploiting a Sunny Deol. In Jaane Bhi Do Yaro, he seemed in a comic role of an alcoholic.
His work in English films also earned him accolades. Though ordinary looking, Om Puri was a genius and a man of principles, who called a spade a spade, come what may. He proved that performance is mightier than appearance.