VARDHAN PURI WIKI, AGE, HEIGHT, MOVIES, FAMILY, BIOGRAPHY & MORE

Amrish Puri is popularly remembered as Mogambo from Shekhar Kapur’s 1987 superhero film, Mr. India, and as Kajol’s father Chaudhary Baldev Singh from Aditya Chopra’s Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. However, not many know about Amrish Puri - the person, his theatre background, and acclaimed filmmaker-actor Girish Karnad’s role in his career. In an exclusive conversation with Pinkvilla, Puri Saab’s actor-grandson Vardhan Puri describes his ‘Dadu’ as a gentle giant, a family man, an obsessed artist, a staunch disciplinarian, and someone who belonged to nature. 

Most of his fond memories with his grandfather have been in the latter’s bedroom. “I used to spend a lot of quality time with my dad and Dadi Smt. Urmila Devi Puri. He was the one who introduced me, my sister Sachi, and my cousins to all the magical filmmakers, writers, and actors. We used to watch a lot of cinema and indulge in some amazing food too while we were at it. Dadu wasn’t a foodie per se, but he loved his simple food like Bhindi and Maa Chhole Ki Dal. Sometimes he would even indulge in Italian and Chinese cuisines. He preferred vegetarian food, never smoked, and was a complete teetotaler,” says the proud grandson.

Vardhan informs that the first film that he saw with Puri Saab was Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman starred classic, The Shawshank Redemption. “I have seen so many Charlie Chaplin films with him as well. By now, I must have seen some 104 Chaplin movies, out of which 35 to 40 I have seen with my grandfather. I remember, he would make me watch the same film, every single night for an entire week, which after a while would make the process repetitive for me. But I soon realized how much I was learning about cinema by doing that. We would watch it first for the performance, then the second time for the camera angles, the third time for the screenplay, and so on. In fact, three years back when I was doing a screen test for a Hollywood film, I had done a monologue from Chaplin’s The Great Dictator that had gone viral on the internet,” adds Vardhan. 

Vardhan also talks about a cartoon show that Puri Saab was in absolute love with. “Dadu was obsessed with Tom & Jerry, he could watch that show for hours at stretch. He in fact gave a lot of credit for his acting prowess to Tom & Jerry and considered them two of the greatest characters of all time. We would even watch the Discovery Channel and Animal Planet together, and whenever a hunt sequence would come up, he would watch it with childlike glee,” Vardhan remembers fondly. 

The young actor adds that he has learned a lot about discipline and the importance of being in love with one’s work from his superstar grandfather. “You know, there were times when he would come home at 2: 30 am without an ounce of tiredness in his body and would be gearing up for his early morning shift immediately. He would come home whistling and talk about how great his scenes for the day were. And despite sleeping so late he would always be up early in the morning for Yoga and for his morning stroll in our garden. He would do that while humming KL Saigal, Kishore Kumar, or Madan Mohan songs,” Vardhan reminisces.

He further informs that it was Girish Karnad who had spotted Puri Saab and offered him his 1973 Kannada film, Kaadu. “Mr. Karnad had told his producer that if my dad wouldn’t play the role of Sarpanch in his film, he wouldn't make it. But Dadu did, and he soon became a sensation in the South. Then director Bapu gave him Hum Paanch (1980) and that changed his life completely. In fact, my grandfather was so revered in the theatre circuit that Yash Chopra Saab, Subhash Ghai Saab, Manmohan Desai Saab, Raj Kapoor Saab, Dev Anand Saab, and Sunil Dutt Saab would come to watch his plays, and would watch them sitting on the floor like ordinary folk. They were all his fans,” shares Vardhan.

He further adds that Puri Saab’s Mr. India has an important stature in his family. “I wasn’t born when the film was released, but my family says that the day it was unveiled we had welcomed two Lakshmis in our house. One of course because the film had been released and second because my sister Sachi was born on the same day, May 25, 1987.”

Interestingly, Vardhan was even a part of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’s (DDLJ) narration. “I was sitting on dad's lap when Mr. Aditya Chopra had come home to narrate DDLJ. When the narration got over, Dadu had tears in his eyes and had immediately agreed to be a part of the film. Mr. Chopra had narrated the film to him scene by scene without a script in hand and till his last breath Dadu would say that DDLJ’s was the greatest narration he had ever received,” informs Vardhan.

He adds that till today not a day goes by when he and his family don't remember Puri Saab. “We talk about him when we eat his favorite food, watch his films, hear his songs or make his beloved Kada Prasad every week. We don’t feel like he is missing. We are sure my Dadu and Dadi are around us, always showering us with their blessings,” Vardhan says emotionally.

The sudden demise of Sushant on June 14 shook the entertainment industry, and its ripple effects continue to be felt. People in Bollywood who were close to Sushant, including his ex-girlfriend Ankita Lokhande and friend Kriti Sanon, have demanded a CBI inquiry into Sushant's case, as have many Bollywood colleagues.

Vardhan, who is late Amrish Puri's grandson, has now posted on Instagram saying: "SSR... What do I say about Sushant Bhai... I have been dealing with the grief of his death for a very long and therefore wasn't able to pen down my thoughts effectively as I was numb. Blank. Heartbroken. But I guess now is the time to speak. So here goes…"

The budding actor went on to share his memories with the late actor from back in the day when he was an assistant director, mentioning: "I have had the good fortune of working with Sushant Singh Rajput in the capacity of an assistant director on a film very close to my heart called ‘Shuddh Desi Romance'."

Vardhan recalled "he was always the most dedicated, most hardworking, and the most positive person in the room. A deep soul with a strong sense of self. Supremely sure of himself. He believed in his ‘Shiv Shambho' so deeply, at a higher spiritual level and he encouraged me to do so as well. He was not only in love with acting but was also madly in love with his family, his gazillion dreams (which he often wrote), his astrology, his astronomy, his telescope, nature, the villagers of India, mutton biryani, any kind of Indian sweets and countless other things which I might not be aware of. But at the apex of the walls of his ever-beating heart was his mother. That's him".

"Sometimes I used to look at him and wonder, 'Will he really achieve all these dreams in this limited time we human beings get on earth?' And I used to be astonished when I said to myself, 'Most definitely. With this kind of vigor, enthusiasm, and dedication, I don't think anything can stop him. He will'."

Sharing what he will always remember about the star, Vardhan wrote: "I vividly remember each word of advice you gave me Sushant Bhai. I remember that hyperactive nature of yours which always helped people excel around you and I will never forget that warm suffocating hug you gave me when the film was a success. I wish I had more time with you and I hope and pray that this strange and heartbreaking mystery is solved."

Concluding his message, Vardhan stated: "I'm sure you are making a crazy cinematic masterpiece in heaven already, which you are not only acting in but also writing, directing, and producing. Sending you love and energy. God is with you. India is with you. All we seek now is your blessings and wisdom. The truth shall prevail. Your assistant director forever and ever."

Vardhan is the grandson of late actor Amrish Puri. He made his acting debut with the 2019 film "Yeh Saali Aashiqui". Before his debut film, he was involved in theatre, and he also worked as an assistant director in films like "Daawat-e-Ishq", "Ishaqzaade" and "Shudh Desi Romance".

"I was a theatre actor and I never went on a film set before that. I used to watch films but I didn't know much about filmmaking. When I started working on a film set as an assistant director, I interacted with producers, directors, and heads of various departments, and I worked on film scripts and involved myself in readings, the casting process, and production design. It gave me an immense amount of knowledge about filmmaking," said Vardhan.

He added: "I would urge anyone who wants to become a writer, a director, or an actor to become an assistant director in films first, and then follow your path."

Vardhan notes that the exhibition of films is going through a change, with the advent of the custom of releasing films on OTT, during the lockdown. "I think it's great to release your film on an OTT platform. If you can reach people's houses with your content then there is nothing better than that, because it increases your audience base. People can watch your film at their convenience and comfort, so I feel it's a fantastic thing," he said.

Vardhan said that in the future, people will only watch big events films on big screens, for a larger-than-life cinematic experience. "I am someone who has romanticized the idea of theatre, cinema, and the big screen but I think it's the time to change our minds. I feel very soon the theatre-going experience will only be restricted to big event films like ‘Baahubali', ‘Avatar' and the ‘Avenger' films. I think people will prefer to watch content-driven films in their houses because to go out and watch a movie is an expensive proposition, which includes tickets, food, and traveling expenses, and plus it is time-consuming. It is a lot for normal middle-class families," he noted.

The film was originally named "Paagal" and was slated to release in July, but there was a problem with the title. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) asked the makers to change the title "Paagal" because of the "social stigma" attached to the word In October, it was announced that the film would release on November 22 as "Yeh Saali Aashiqui". However, now the film has been postponed by a week.

Directed by Cherag Ruparel, the film also stars Shivaleeka Oberoi "We thought November 29 provided us a better opportunity for showcasing 'Yeh Saali Aashiqui' in theatres. We have made it with a lot of love, and this film also has an explosive storyline with power-packed performances, and it deserves a better reach," said producer Jayantilal Gada.

Nepotism is a hot topic of discussion in the industry and everyone has been beaming with opinions over the same. In fact, every time a star kid ventures into showbiz, the nepotism debate gets rife all over again. And that’s what happened after Amrish Puri’s grandson Vardhan Puri announced his debut. The handsome hunk is foraying into Bollywood with Yeh Saali Aashiqui. Given the fact that he hails from the family of one of Bollywood's best villains, it was evident that Vardhan too will be considered a product of nepotism.

Talking about the same, the newcomer stated that while nepotism does exist in every industry, it isn’t applicable in his case as his grandfather passed away while he was still in his teens. Instead, making a debut in Bollywood was quite an organic process for him. “Nepotism exists when a star or a superstar in a family can go pitch you from office to office, make calls and ask people to take your son or grandson. That has never happened to me. So, it has been a very organic process for me. I don’t personally feel that nepotism debate is applicable in my case,” Vardhan said in an interaction with times.

Vardhan Puri is an Indian actor. He was born on 2 May 1990 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. As of 2020, her age is 30 years old. He did her schooling at Jamnabai Narsee School, Mumbai. Vardhan obtained a degree in Business Management from Narsee Monjee College of Commerce and Economics, Mumbai.

Vardhan Puri has a healthy physique and he is 5 feet 10 inches (178 cm) tall. Describing more about body fitness his weight is around 65 Kg (143  lbs). Vardhan Puri always keeps himself fit and he is very health Conscious. His chest measurement is 40 Inches, Waist is approx. 30 inches & biceps measurement is 14 Inches. He has a nice hairstyle and got Black hair and Black Eyes.

He was born in a Hindu Family. His father’s name is Rajeev Amrish Puri and her mother’s name is Meena Puri. He has a sister named Sachi Puri, who is a dermatologist. His grandfather is a Veteran actor Amrish Puri.

This year, many star kids are going to be launched in Bollywood. Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khatter, Sara Ali Khan, and many others. Celebrated actor, Late Amrish Puri’s grandson, Vardhan Puri will be making his debut in films soon. He has signed a romantic thriller which will be produced by Jayantilal Gada and is yet untitled. The film will go on floors in September. Vardhan has earlier assisted Habib Faisal in films like Ishaqzaade, and Daawat-e-Ishq and assisted Manish Sharma in Shuddh Desi Romance.

About his Bollywood debut, Vardhan told Mumbai Mirror, “I was supposed to start off with a period-drama with Jayanti Bhai, but for some reason, that didn’t work out. He approached me later for this film which I loved and immediately gave my nod. It’s a performance-oriented role and in terms of treatment it will be in a space similar to (Hollywood director David Fincher’s psychological thriller) Gone Girl.” He added that his film’s leading lady and director will be locked soon.

Talking about his grandfather, Amrish Puri, he said, “Dadu is the God whom I pray to. I was so close to him that I would sleep between him and my grandmother. When he passed away, for me it was like losing the protective cover of an umbrella. It was then, that I decided that if I do something, it would be for my grandfather and this film is an ode to him.”

He added, “We would watch films of Dilip Kumarsaab, Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, and also binge on classics like The Godfather and The Shawshank Redemption. Sometimes, I also used to sit with him for reading sessions when filmmakers came home. His films with Shyam Benegal sir and Govind Nihalani sir top my list of all-time favorites. I really miss him.”

"My grandfather gave me this tip: He said many actors, who come from a theatre background to films tend to forget the theatre preparation. They also start behaving in a starry manner, start partying and acquire attitude -- like, they walk around with an entourage and staff. My grandfather told me not to get into all this. He said, 'do these things only as part of the profession but do not let these things become a part of your core'. Let your core be that of a theatre actor. Always behave in the way that you are at your roots -- which is a theatre actor. If you do that, the chances of failure are less. That is what my grandfather told me and that is my Bible" said Vardhan, on the sidelines of the trailer launch of his debut film. Vardhan attended the do along with co-star Shivaleeka Oberoi, director Cherag Ruparel, and producer Jayantilal Gada.

Hailing from a theatre background, Vardhan said, has its advantage. "All my conversations with my grandfather taught me just one thing -- preparation is the key. As you know, theatre forms the root of my family. Essentially, we are all theatre actors and our upbringing is theatre-based. Theatre is a very fair medium. Here, simply hailing from a particular background doesn't mean things will work out for you. The key to becoming an actor for me has been observing my elders -- Chaman Puri, Madan Puri, and, of course, Amrish Puri."Vardhan revealed he had his first brush with Bollywood as an assistant writer and director working with Yash Raj Films.

"I have been in theatre since I was five. I did plays and also studied till I was 16. After obtaining my degree, I came back to the theatre. I started working with Yash Raj Films as an assistant writer and director. I never wanted to go to acting school, so I didn't. I was told that what makes an actor is 'on-field' experience. While auditioning for the film, I was told that I need to understand film acting, and film acting is always learned on the set. I did three films as an assistant director and I think that was my training".'Yeh Saali Aashiqui' is slated to hit the theaters on November 22.

Vardhan Puri at Instagram-@vardhanpuri02