'Martyred soldiers were not forced to join Army': Om Puri draws criticism

The veteran actor has been receiving widespread flak for his unsavoury remarks on the Indian army.

Mumbai

: Actor Om Puri spoke out against the ban on Pakistani artistes in India and asserted that art and politics need to be held mutually exclusive. The acclaimed actor said that Pakistanis working in Indian films isn’t illegal and their being shunned would only lead to the concerned produces incurring heavy losses.

"When the government is taking an action, we all should stay quiet. It hardly matters if we send back the artists from Pakistan, who are working here, or let them stay. I have been to Pakistan six times and have met people from all strata," the actor was quoted as saying in a television debate forum.

"I have always received love and warmth. If the Pakistani actors leave the projects they are doing here in middle, then people in India (filmmakers) will also face financial loss. Hence, this is insignificant. The actors have not come here through any illegal way. They have valid visa. But, if the government will ask them to leave, then it is different," he added.

However, the actor lost his cool midway, when he felt that the anchor was propagating his own perspectives, leaving little leeway for the guests to put across their own points.

Ultimately the actor made a blatantly unsavoury remark on the martyred Indian armymen, saying, “We haven’t forced them to join the army."

After being heavily lambasted by the MNS spokesperson who also chaired the debate, the actor stormed out but only after pushing it a bit a further, concluding, “Prepare 15-20 people as suicide bomber and send them to Pakistan to conduct blasts there.”

Bollywood has been polarised in their take on the ban with the likes of Nana Patekar, Randeep Hooda coming out in support of the ban, while others like Salman Khan, Karan Johar and Mahesh Bhatt, vociferously.

Twitterati didn't take to his outburst kindly, either, and many criticised him for his words, including colleague of a few good decades, Anupam Kher.

Meanwhile, a complaint has been registered against Om Puri at the Andheri police station, for willfully humiliating the Indian army.