Om Puri, celebrated Indian actor, dies aged 66

Om Puri, one of India’s most critically acclaimed actors, who starred in films across Hollywood, Bollywood and the UK, had died in Mumbai.

The 66-year-old was found dead at his home on Friday morning, reportedly after suffering a heart attack.

Puri, born in the northern state of Haryana, made his film debut in the 1976 film Ghashiram Kotwal.

A versatile artist, Puri became a key player in India’s arthouse cinema scene in the 1980s and 1990s but achieved international fame for his roles in Hollywood films such as City of Joy, Wolf, and Charlie Wilson’s War. He also appeared in a number of British films such as My Son the Fanatic and East is East, as well as a cameo in Richard Attenborough's epic on Mahatma Gandhi.

In 1990, he was awarded the Padma Shri, one of India’s highest civilian honours, and he was awarded an honorary OBE for his contribution to the British film industry in 2004.