Few actors in Bollywood history have owned the role of a villain quite like Amrish Puri, whose towering performances as Mogambo and Ashraf Ali have etched themselves permanently into moviegoers’ memories. Yet for Ameesha Patel, his co-star in the iconic ‘Gadar: Ek Prem Katha’, the late actor represented something far more than just a commanding screen presence, he was someone whose warmth and humanity left a deep and lasting impression on her.
Ameesha Patel on Amrish Puri: ‘He was a doll to work with’
Looking back fondly on her time filming ‘Gadar: Ek Prem Katha’, Ameesha painted a portrait of Amrish that was worlds apart from the menacing characters he was known for, describing him as a genuinely warm and hilarious presence on set. Speaking to India Today, she said, “Oh, I miss Amrish ji tremendously. The scary part wasn’t because of him — he was a doll to work with. He was extremely witty, humorous, and had such an edgy sense of humour, something you would never guess from the kind of Mogambo and Ashraf Ali roles he had done.“
Ameesha Patel on her first scene in ‘Gadar’
What makes Ameesha’s fond memories even more remarkable is the fact that her very first scene in the film was anything but easy. Given that films are rarely shot in chronological order, she found herself thrown straight into the deep end with the intense post-interval confrontation scene alongside Puri. “That confrontation scene was my very first scene in Gadar, and it was opposite Amrish ji. I was shitting bricks. I was shivering. But it was so amazing to work with him. He made it so easy for me. He never made me feel like he was this super accomplished actor and I was just some silly newcomer. Nobody knew (about) Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai then; it was still under production,” she said.
Ameesha Patel on playing Sakina
Ameesha went on to explain the enormous emotional weight that came with stepping into Sakina’s shoes for that pivotal scene, revealing 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, been separated from her family and thought they were dead. She had married and settled in India with a man poles apart from her — an uneducated, non-English-speaking Jat. She had adapted to Hindu ways and had a seven-year-old child. I had to stand opposite Amrish ji carrying all of those transitions within me. So it became even harder.”
Ameesha Patel on working with Amrish Puri
Despite the nerves that came with facing such a seasoned performer, Ameesha admitted that working opposite someone of Puri’s calibre ultimately pushed her to give her best. “But fantastic actors elevate your scenes. Because they perform so well, they give you the enthusiasm to perform even better. Honestly, you shiver, but they make it very easy,” she added. Beyond her memories of Puri himself, Ameesha also had warm words for his wife, who was a reassuring presence during the Lucknow schedule. “His wife was also very lovely. She was on the sets in Lucknow when we were shooting those scenes, and she would always put everyone at ease,” she recalled.
Ameesha Patel recalls Amrish Puri’s sweet gesture on ‘Gadar’ sets
One memory that clearly still brings a smile to Ameesha’s face is a lighthearted moment from the Amritsar schedule, where director Anil Sharma expressed concern over the actor’s slender frame amid the chaos of an overwhelming crowd. “There was so much crowd at Amritsar station and even lathi charges outside because people had come to see us. Anil Sharma came into the make-up van with this huge box of sweets and said, ‘Sakina madam, eat these laddoos. You should put on some weight. Sakina looks happy, so the heroine should be like this and like that,'” Patel recalled.
Ameesha Patel on Amrish Puri: ‘It was just like a father defending his daughter’
She recalled that actor Lilette Dubey and others were all sharing the make-up van when Amrish Puri walked in and delivered a perfectly timed remark that had everyone in splits. “Amrish ji quietly tapped 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. It was just like a father defending his daughter in real life — ‘Leave her alone, let her be.‘ It was very cute. These are beautiful moments that I’ve shared with the cast, and they will remain with me forever. If I could rewind time and go back to those sets, I would love to”, she said.
What’s next for the ‘Gadar’ franchise?
‘Gadar 2’ released in theatres 22 years after the original ‘Gadar: Ek Prem Katha’. And the franchise is not stopping there, director Anil Sharma has recently confirmed that ‘Gadar 3’ is also in the making.
