Kay Kay Menon: Indians tend to give all the love only after the person dies

‘The Ghazi Attack’, India’s first war-at-sea film has an ensemble cast of Kay Kay Menon, Atul Kulkarni, Rana Daggubati and Taapsee Pannu. But apart from this, the film will also remain one of the last films of veteran actor Om Puri.

The legendary performer recently breathed his last at his residence after suffering a massive heart attack. News of his demise came as a rude shock not just to the film fraternity but to anyone and everyone who admires cinema.

Recently during a conversation with Bollywood Bubble, Kay Kay Menon regretted how Puri was never given his due when he was alive, with us. (Also Read: Rana Daggubati didn’t use any body double for underwater stunts in ‘The Ghazi Attack’)

“Om Puri’s work itself is a memory. I think he is one giant of an actor, but did not get his due. I am sorry to say this. The kind of praise, the kind of love, the kind of accolades that people are giving him after his death… I wish they would have given him when he was alive. I think we Indians have a problem. We tend to give all the love only after the person dies, which is wrong,” Menon said.

“He was a big actor. As far as international cinema is concerned, he will put a lot of us in shame. He acted in so many international projects. But we are like that. When Oscar gives a lifetime achievement to Satyajit Ray, only then that we realise, we have such a great filmmaker with us. That’s a regret. We, as Indians, need to really buck up and change our attitude towards the greats that we already have at the moment, and try and give them their due. It was a big loss in terms of his future works. But his legacy is unparalleled,” he added.

While we heard about the other characters in bits and parts, nothing much is known about Om Puri’s role in the film yet. But whatever it is, he surely made it worth with his unmatchable deliverance, like every time else.

Let us wait till February 17 and find out!

Ranjini Maitra

Journalist. Writer. Reader. Enthu cutlet. Mood-swing machine. Day dreamer. Sandwiched between ‘live life fully’ and ‘lose some weight’. Mantra of life: Love and love more.