When Om Puri had to work in a Tea Shop

From serving in a tea shop at the age of seven to becoming one of the most respected artistes in Indian cinema, veteran actor Om Puri's journey to the world of showbiz has been a fight against odds.

Born in Ambala, the earliest memories of the actor are of acute poverty and his father's struggle to put out food on the table, according to his biography 'Unlikely Hero: Om Puri'.

"Tek Chand (Puri's father) was very temperamental and hot-headed and kept losing his job every six months. It would take him two months to hunt for a new job and then he would lose is again in six months' time. Those were days of poverty and of a hand-to-mouth existence for the family," the book, written by his wife Nandita C Puri, says.

According to the book, Puri started working as a helper in a tea shop after his father was arrested on charges of stealing from a railway store. The family had to survive on the kindness of neighbours for many days before Om and his brother Ved started doing small jobs to earn some money.

"At the age of seven Om started contributing in his little way to the family kitty, washing cups and glasses in a local tea stall," the book says. Published by Roli Books and slated to release later this month, the biography brings alive Puri's unlikely journey to the world of cinema and his family's struggle to survive amid poverty and hunger.

The book says that Puri's father used to get angry very soon and despite his love for his family, he used to beat his mother. But despite his follies, the actor looked up to his father as he believed that his anger stemmed from the frustration of not being able to support his family.

Puri was sent to his maternal uncle's house as his parents struggled to make ends meet and it was here that he first learned the early nuances of acting. Puri would stand in the marketplace and observe people only to enact them later in front of his cousins, much to their amusement.

Interestingly, Puri's earliest ambition was of becoming a soldier. He even applied for the entrance but his father could not afford the money for his training.

The idea of working as an actor struck to Puri when he was in ninth standard. "...he saw an advertisement in a vernacular daily asking for youngsters to audition for a film role. Om applied. He got a colourful postcard asking entrants to come for the audition in Lucknow and pay fifty rupees to participate in it," the book says.

However, fifty rupees was a huge sum those days and Puri could not afford it.

"So, his celluloid dreams had to end then and there. The film, which was released a few years later, was called Jiyo Aur Jeeney Do," the book says.

The biography has generated controversy over Puri's relationships with various women, including his maid but author Nandita says she has tried to give an honest picture of the actor's life, which will inspire many.

The foreword of the biography, which releases later this month, has been written by none other than Dirty Dancing star, the late Patrick Swayze, who worked with Puri in the City of Joy.

Richard Attenborough and Ben Kingsley, with whom Puri worked in Gandhi have also contributed to the book, remembering the times spent with Puri on the sets of the 1982 film, which went on to win eight Academy awards.

Puri is known for his role in films like Ardh Satya, Gandhi, Mrityudand, Dev and City of Joy.

The actor has been honoured with the Padma Shri by the Indian government for his contribution to the parallel and commercial films. He is also the recipient of honorary Order of the British Empire for his contribution to British cinema.