Indian cinema has always given such artists who inspired the coming generations with their acting. One of these names is that of Om Puri, who is still remembered for his brilliant acting and true cinema. Om Puri never saw the role as small or big but he breathed life into every character. Inspired by this thought, actor Abhishek Banerjee has dedicated one of his small roles to Om Puri.

Om Puri’s thinking changed the understanding of acting
Talking to IANS, Abhishek Banerjee said that he has always liked Om Puri very much. He told that the kind of characters Om Puri played in his career and the path he chose was no less than a real hero. Om Puri never paid attention to how big the role was but focused on how to play the character. Abhishek said that he adopted the same thinking in his cameo role also.

A story of pain, revenge and surrender to Gandhi
In the series ‘Freedom at Midnight’, Abhishek’s character is of a man who loses his pregnant wife in communal violence. After this pain, his character is filled with the feeling of revenge but as the story progresses, it takes him to surrender before Mahatma Gandhi. This story is not limited to just one person’s sorrow but also brings to the fore the religious and social complexities of the time of partition of India and Pakistan.

Connection with the film ‘Gandhi’ and Om Puri’s character
This character also has historical importance because its spirit matches the role of Om Puri which he played in the 1982 film ‘Gandhi’. Ben Kingsley played the lead role in this film and it was directed by Richard Attenborough. Abhishek told that when director Nikhil offered him this role, he immediately said yes because he believes that the real spirit of the industry is that an artiste should get a chance to play all types of roles.

Big impact of small role and people’s praise
Abhishek clearly said that it is not possible to compare him with Om Puri because Om Puri is an icon of cinema. Following his footsteps is a great honor in itself. He also said that sometimes small roles leave the deepest impact and after the release of ‘Freedom at Midnight 2’, he received a lot of praise from people on social media. The second season of the series deals with post-partition unrest, communal violence, refugee problems, merger of princely states and political tensions between leaders and is currently streaming on Sony Liv.