Indian actors have a long way to go in Hollywood: Om Puri

The 65-year-old veteran actor believes that the American society has not accepted Indians in their society yet.

Actors Irrfan and Priyanka Chopra might be making waves in the west with their acting prowess but actor Om Puri (above) insists that Indian origin actors are still a long way from getting into the mainstream Hollywood industry. “Yes, the number of roles and their duration has increased. But we have still not broken through the mainstream Hollywood. I think there’s still time for that,” he says.

Om Puri in Chandigarh University. (HT)

The 65-year-old veteran actor, whose last Hollywood project saw him alongside actor Helen Mirren in The Hundred Foot Journey, believes that the American society has not accepted Indians in their society and that’s the reason, Indian actors haven’t made it big in Hollywood yet.

“Take African-Americans, for example. They are a part of the American society. We haven’t been accepted as a part of their society. That’s why we are missing in their mainstream industry as well,” he adds.

Meanwhile, in Bollywood, the Ardh Satya actor will soon be seen in a film based on farmer suicides. While, the topic is a sensitive one, Puri insists that he didn’t do anything special or meet farmers to prepare for his role.

“I didn’t meet anyone for this. I have known about the issue for a long time so I didn’t need any help for that. So I didn’t feel the need to talk to anyone to understand the emotions behind them either,” he says, adding, “I could’ve probably just learnt if the role involved knowing any skills such as ploughing or driving a tractor. But that I already know because my uncles had been farmers. And I know a lot about it since I was a child,” he concludes.

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