By Abdul Gani

GUWAHATI, India

One of India’s most well-known and highly sought-after actors, Om Puri, passed away at the age of 66 following a heart attack at his home in Mumbai city on Friday, according to Indian media reports.

Tributes for Puri, who played a wide variety of roles in his four decades-long career that also saw several stints in Hollywood and Pakistani films, have been pouring out on social media ever since reports of his demise broke out.

According to Indian actress Shabana Azmi, Puri’s funeral ceremony will be held in the evening. “OM Puri undergoing postmortem at Cooper Hospital. Will be taken to Trishul around 3pm Funeral at Oshiwara electric crematorium around 6pm,” she tweeted.

Puri had won several Indian and international awards, including the honorary Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to the British film industry and the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest Indian civilian award.

Puri made his film debut in 1976 with the Marathi-language film, Ghashiram Kotwal, before starring in a number of critically-acclaimed Hindi films, including Ardh Satya, Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, Aakrosh and Mirch Masala.

In his stints abroad, he once bagged a role opposite the British star, Helen Mirren, in Steven Spielberg's 2014 American comedy drama, The Hundred-Foot Journey.

He was praised for his role of a Pakistani immigrant adjusting to life in the north of England in -- East is East -- for which he was nominated for the Best Actor BAFTA award in 2000.

He also played the role of Pakistani coup general, Zia-ul-Haq, in the Hollywood movie, Charlie Wilson’s War, which starred Tom Hanks.

Puri’s deep voice resonated with all the characters he played. He once took up the challenge of becoming the voice of a black panther called Bagheera in the Hollywood movie The Jungle Book to critical acclaim.

City of Joy, Gandhi and The Reluctant Fundamentalist are some of the other movies that made him well known around the world.

Tributes

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the passing away of the actor who was known for his mainstream and art films.

Another veteran Indian actor Amitabh Bhachchan expressed his shock over Puri’s demise. “Shocked to learn of OM PURI Ji's passing just now.. a dear friend a lovable colleague and an exceptional talent .. in grief !” Bhachchan tweeted.

Naseeruddin Shah, another Bollywood senior actor who played several roles alongside Puri, tweeted: “We have lost very brilliant and talented actor it's very big loss of our country and film industry rest and peace.”

Bollywood star Aamir Khan tweeted: “Very sad. We have lost one of the finest actors of Indian cinema. Rip #OmPuri”

Shahrukh Khan, another Bollywood star, tweeted: “Gods garden must be beautiful, He always takes the best.”

Indian cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar tweeted: “You will live in our hearts forever through the impressions you have left with your versatility. We will miss you”.

Condolences from across border

Puri was widely respected in Pakistan for not only his acting skills but also for his calls to peace and promotion of cultural exchanges between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.

In 2016, he also acted in a Pakistani film, Actor In Law.

Pakistani artists expressed their sorrow over the loss.

Pakistani actress Mahira Khan said: “The world loses a great artist. Truly, one of the Indian cinema’s best”,

Another Pakistani actress Mawra Hocane tweeted: “RIP #OmPuri sir! You will always be remembered as the promoter of peace and Love between the two countries & for so much more”.

Puri backed a better relationship between India and Pakistan, so much so that once he took the side of Pakistani actors who were asked to go from India by a right wing group.

Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir summed up the feelings of many people from across the border in his tweet: “Famous versatile Bollywood and Hollywood actor Om Puri will always be remembered for his efforts to support peace between India and Pakistan.”