A Tale of Two Stars in Bradford
In the world of cinema, fame is often measured by box office numbers and red-carpet glamour. But a powerful story shared by Australian actress Rachel Griffiths about her co-star, the late Om Puri, reminds us of a deeper, more profound kind of stardom—one rooted in cultural connection and reverence.
The setting was England in the late 1990s. Rachel Griffiths was a rising international talent, fresh off an Oscar nomination for Hilary and Jackie and global recognition for Muriel’s Wedding. She was filming the complex British drama My Son the Fanatic alongside the legendary Indian actor, Om Puri. While promoting the film in Bradford, a city with a large South Asian population, Griffiths was about to witness a scene that would completely redefine her understanding of fame.
When an Oscar Nominee Became an Onlooker
As Griffiths and Om Puri walked down a bustling street, she expected the usual polite recognitions one gets as a known actor. What happened next was anything but usual. A crowd began to form, pouring out of shops and homes, their numbers swelling by the second. They were swarmed.
But the crowd had eyes for only one person, and it wasn’t the Oscar-nominated actress from Australia. It was Om Puri. For a moment, Rachel Griffiths, the Western star, became a mere onlooker to a phenomenon she had never encountered before.
‘Puri-ji!’: A Mob of Reverence, Not Fandom
As Griffiths has recounted, the experience was electrifying. This was not a typical mob of fans clamouring for autographs. This was an outpouring of deep, almost spiritual respect. The crowd chanted his name with reverence: “Puri-ji! Puri-ji!”
Men and women rushed to touch his feet, a traditional Indian sign of profound respect reserved for an elder or a guru. Shopkeepers abandoned their posts to offer him a cup of chai, not as a celebrity, but as an honoured family member. In that moment, on that Bradford street, Rachel Griffiths realised she was walking next to a demigod.
A Lesson in Legacy: Why Om Puri Was a Cultural Icon
For Rachel Griffiths, the incident was a revelation. In the hearts of the South Asian diaspora in England, Om Puri was more than a movie star. He was a reflection of their identity, their struggles, and their triumphs. He was the face that had represented them with unwavering dignity and nuance in seminal films like Gandhi, East is East, and countless others. He was one of them.
This anecdote powerfully illustrates the difference between celebrity and legacy. Om Puri’s stardom wasn’t manufactured; it was earned through decades of raw, authentic performances that resonated with audiences on a deeply human level. For the Indian and Pakistani communities in the UK, he was a cultural bridge to their homeland and a pillar of their identity abroad.
As we remember the great Om Puri, this story, told through the eyes of his international co-star, serves as a powerful reminder of his true stature. He was a globally respected actor, but to his people, he was royalty.
