Pavan Malhotra on Om Puri’s financial struggles and the politics of Indian cinema

Actor Pavan Malhotra reflected on the late Om Puri’s early career, recalling that during the 1988 TV film *Tamas* the veteran actor “didn’t have money to pay the bills” and avoided self‑promotion despite international work. Malhotra highlighted Puri’s pioneering role in foreign films before the era of Bollywood’s global crossover.

Malhotra also addressed the controversy surrounding political films in India, saying that reactions vary depending on who makes them. He praised the spy thriller *Dhurandhar* as “amazing” and challenged critics to dispute its content. Regarding *The Kashmir Files*, he dismissed claims of falsehood, calling detractors “fools” who refuse to accept the truth. The comments were given in an interview with ANI in Mumbai.