Very few actors in the history of Bollywood have mastered the role of a villain Amrish Puriwhose excellent performance as Mogambo and Ashraf Ali Films have etched themselves permanently in the memory of the audience. go ahead Amisha PatelHis co-star in the iconic ‘Gadar: Ek Prem Katha’, the late actor represented much more than screen presence, he was someone whose warmth and humanity left a deep and lasting impression on him.
Amisha Patel on Amrish Puri: ‘He was a puppet to work with’
Looking back fondly on the filming of ‘Gadar: Ek Prem Katha’, Ameesha painted a portrait of Amrish that was different from the menacing characters he was known for, describing him as a genuinely warm and cheerful presence on the sets. Speaking to India Today, he said, “Oh, I miss Amrish ji so much. The scary part was not because of him — he was a puppet to work with. He was very funny, funny and had a sense of humor, which you would never guess from his roles like Mogambo and Ashraf Ali.“
Amisha Patel in the first scene of ‘Gadar’
What makes Amisha’s fond memories even more remarkable is that her first scene in the film was simple. Given that films are rarely shot in chronological order, he threw himself straight into the deep end with a post-interval conflict scene alongside Puri. “That encounter scene was my first scene in Gadar, and it was opposite Amrish ji. I was throwing bricks. I was shaking. But working with him was so amazing. He made it so easy for me. He never made me think that he’s this super talented actor and I’m just a dumb newbie. No one was under that production yet,” he said.
Ameesha Patel as Sakina
Ameesha went on to explain the huge emotional weight that came with stepping into Sakina’s shoes for that crucial scene, how she had to mentally absorb the character’s entire life journey before facing the camera. “Mentally, I had to tell myself that Sakina had graduated from school, gone through Partition, separated from her family and thought they were dead. She had married and settled in India with a man who was different from her—an uneducated, non-English-speaking Jat. He adapted to the Hindu system and had a seven-year-old child. I had to stand against Amrish ji who carried all the changes in me. So it became more difficult.”
Amisha Patel is working with Amrish Puri
Despite facing such a seasoned actor, Ameesha admits that working opposite someone of Puri’s caliber ultimately pushed her to give her best. “But great actors elevate your scenes. Because they act so well, they inspire you to act better. Honestly, you cringe, but they make it so easy”. Beyond Puri’s own memories, Amisha also had warm words for his wife, who was a reassuring presence during the Lucknow schedule. “His wife was also very nice. She was on the sets in Lucknow when we were shooting those scenes, and she always made everyone feel comfortable,” he recalls.
Amisha Patel recalls Amrish Puri’s sweet gesture on ‘Gadar’ sets
A memory that clearly still brings a smile to Amisha’s face is a lighter moment on the schedule in Amritsar, where the director Anil Sharma Expressed concern over the actor’s thin frame amid the chaos of the overwhelming crowd. “Amritsar station was so crowded that there was even lathi-charge outside as people came to see us. Anil Sharma came in the make-up van with this huge box of sweets and said, ‘Sakina madam, eat these laddus. You should weigh something. Sakina looks happy, so the heroine should be so and so,”’ recalls Patel.
Amisha Patel on Amrish Puri: ‘It’s like a father protecting his daughter’
He recalls that actor Lillet Dubey and others were sharing the make-up van when Amrish Puri walked in and made a perfectly timed comment that split everyone. “Amrish ji quietly patted Anil Sharma on the back and said, ‘Yes, yes, the heroine should eat laddoos, but Sakina is fine. Come on, take the shot.’ I burst out laughing. In real life it was like a father protecting his daughter – ‘Leave her alone, let her be.It was very beautiful. These are the beautiful moments I shared with the cast and they will stay with me forever I would love it if I could rewind time and go back to those sets”, he said.
What’s next for the ‘Gadar’ franchise?
After 22 years of the original ‘Gadar: Ek Prem Katha’, ‘Gadar 2’ hit the theatres. And the franchise doesn’t stop there, director Anil Sharma recently confirmed that ‘Gadar 3’ is also in the works.
