Indian-American actors/actresses

Royal Patel is known for Never Have I Ever (2020) and Grown-ish (2018).

One of the leading lights of the 1965-1990's Indian New Wave, Shabana Azmi (alongside the late Smita Patil) was one of the main female actors who dominated the films of the so-called "Parallel Cinema" in India in the 1970s and 1980s. Born to noted Urdu progressive poet and lyricist Kaifi Azmi and theatre actress Shaukat Azmi, Shabana has acted in films by virtually all of India's most famous art-house directors including Shyam Benegal, Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen, Aparna Sen and others, as well as in commercial and middle-of-the-road Hindi films, where she has essayed several strong female characters (e.g., in The Death Sentence: Mrityu Dand (1997) and Godmother (1999)). Shabana Azmi was paired opposite Rajesh Khanna in 7 successful films.She is noted for her naturalness and intensity on-screen, matched by her fierce advocacy of the rights of women, minorities and slum-dwellers off-screen, both through activism and in her role as a Member of Parliament, where her consistent stand in defense of liberal values and the freedom of expression is noteworthy. She has also acted on stage to considerable acclaim, most notably in Tumhari Amrita with Farookh Sheikh. She is married to noted scriptwriter and lyricist Javed Akhtar.

Alyy Khan is a British Asian actor and host who has worked in Hollywood, Bollywood and Lollywood films and television series. He is known for his roles in the films A Mighty Heart (2007), Traitor (2008), Don 2 (2011), 3 Bahadur (2015), Actor in Law (2016) and Mogul Mowgli (2020), and also played a parallel lead in the telefilm Anjuman (2013). Alyy Khan has also appeared in several television series, including The Bill (2006), Strike Back (2011), Saat Pardon Mein (2012), Indian Summers (2015) and Pakeezah (2016). In 2012, Khan hosted the television reality show Foodistan for NDTV and Geo TV. Recent credits include The Serpent (2020) for Netflix, Shantaram (2021) for Paramount/Apple+ TV and The Archie's (2022) for Netflix India.

Megan Suri, a vibrant Indian-American actress and model, emerged in Downey, California, with a flair for storytelling that ignited her career at age eight through a Honda commercial. Her journey unfolded with memorable roles, including a debut in the star-studded Valentine's Day (2010), followed by standout performances as Simryn Patel in Fresh Off the Boat and Quinn in Atypical. Suri's portrayal of Aneesa in Netflix's Never Have I Ever showcased her knack for blending humor and heart, earning her widespread recognition. She further captivated audiences as Samidha in the horror film It Lives Inside (2023), where her emotional depth elevated the coming-of-age tale. With a commitment to authentic representation, Suri, of South Asian descent, champions diverse narratives, drawing from her own experiences of navigating cultural identity after living in India for over two years. Her indie projects, like The MisEducation of Bindu and Dramarama, highlight her versatility and passion for collaborative filmmaking. Known for her grounded perspective, she prioritizes meaningful connections over fame, living close to her family, including her nurse sister, trucking-business brothers, and beloved dog. Suri's upcoming role as Veena in Searching 2 promises to cement her as a rising talent, blending technical innovation with raw emotion. Her love for horror, sparked by films like Paranormal Activity, fuels her dynamic performances, while her ties to Cirque du Soleil's theatrical world add a unique dimension to her craft.

Karen David is a multi-hyphenate talent - actress and singer/songwriter - who has found equal diversity in her film, television, stage, and recording career. Born in Shillong, India, in the foothills of the Himalayas; raised in Toronto; and the daughter of a half-Chinese, half- Khasi mother and an Indian father, David discovered her love of performing at a young age. At 17 she won a scholarship to Berklee College of Music in Boston, where she studied jazz and gospel. It was there she discovered a flair for songwriting and the desire to pursue her love for drama, which led her to study at the Guildford School of Acting in London. Her first professional acting role came shortly after graduation in the original stage cast of the London West End musical Mamma Mia! David can currently be seen as a series regular in the AMC Network show, "Fear The Walking Dead" as Grace, where her recent, poignant, storylines have garnered critical appraise and a beloved international fandom. She is also recurring on HBO's "Barry" alongside creator, Bill Hader, and in the CW series "Legacies" from executive producers, Julie Plec and Brett Matthews. She has also had recurring roles on on the ABC series, "The Rookie" CBS' long-running drama"Criminal Minds", as well as major arcs on YouTube's "Ryan Hansen Solves Crimes on Television" and ITV's "Cold Feet", and as Princess Jasmine on ABC's "Once Upon a Time." Best known to US audiences for her breakout role as Princess Isabella Maria Lucia Elizabetta of Valencia in ABC's "Galavant", David showcased both of her passions - acting and singing - in the musical fantasy series. Created by Dan Fogelman (This Is Us), the cult hit featured music by the award-winning composer, Alan Menken. She got her start in television in the UK on BBC's BAFTA nominated, "Waterloo Road" and the BBC's comedy series "Pixelface", produced by comedian, Graham Norton's company, So Television. From there she landed roles on MTV's "Top Buzzer" playing opposite the likes of Stephen Graham and Daniel Mays, and on Cinemax's action thriller, "Strike Back", and guest-starring roles on ABC's "Castle", FOX's "Touch" alongside Kiefer Sutherland, and NBC's "Timeless." Karen has also been very busy in the animation world, lending her vocal and musical talents in heavily recurring roles on Disney's hit series, "Mira: Royal Detective". She can also be seen guest starring on the new, HBO Max animation, "The Prince", created by Gary Janetti, Netflix's "Captain Fall" and AMC's upcoming animated series, "Pantheon." David's film career began with a supporting role in the UK cult hit, "Bollywood Queen", opposite James McAvoy. This led to co-starring roles in Christopher Nolan's "Batman Begins", the Vince Vaughan comedy, "Couples Retreat", and Millennium Film's drama, "Red Lights", starring Sigourney Weaver and Robert De Niro. David has had starring roles in the heartwarming independent comedy, "The Tiger Hunter" opposite Danny Pudi, Universal Pictures' "The Scorpion King: Rise of a Warrior", and the acclaimed Netflix British comedy romance, "Amar Akbar & Tony." More recently she portrayed a tough FBI agent in the blockbuster, "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit". On the musical front, David is continually refining her passion for writing and recording "feel- good indie-girl pop with a twist" in between filming. In the wake of her hit 2003 single, It's Me (You're Talking To), which became a Top Ten hit in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, as well as BMG's fourth highest airplay hit for a debut artist, she released her first two EPs, The Live Sessions EP (2008) and Magic Carpet Ride (2009), followed by the 2010 single Hypnotize and three mixes. David worked with A.R. Rahman, (Slumdog Millionaire), to help develop the soundtrack for the Bollywood-themed musical, "Bombay Dreams" alongside Andrew Lloyd Webber and Don Black. They subsequently created the theme tune for the British drama, "Provoked", in which David had a supporting role. In addition, David is an avid supporter of charity who devotes much of her time to campaigning for various issues, including the Alzheimer's Association, and is also an ambassador for the Prince's Trust. She is also

an active supporter of SOS Children's Villages Foundation and Designers Against AIDS.

AGAM DARSHI is an award winning actress, writer and director working internationally in TV, Film and Theater.

She worked with Ava DuVernay's series DMZ for HBOMAX, as Mia Franklin working opposite Rosario Dawson. She also starred in Oscar nominated director Deepa Mehta's newest film FUNNY BOY based on Shyam Selvadurai's best selling novel, for which Agam was nominated for a CANADIAN SCREEN AWARD IN 2021, and won a Leo Award for her performance.

Agam wrote, produced and directed DONKEYHEAD. The film, starring Agam as Mona Ghuman, also stars Kim Coates (Son's of Anarchy), Sandy Sidhu (Nurses), Stephen Lobo (Nancy Drew, Snow Piercer) and Husein Mandhavji (Shitt's Creek), was Executive Produced by Deepa Mehta. DONKEYHEAD was acquired by Array Distribution and premiered on Netflix USA/UK/AUS/NZ on January 21 2022. It was the opening film for the Mosaic Film Festival where it screened at the TIFF Bell Lightbox, and won Best Feature Film Award, Best Support Actor and Best editing. Agam won best direction in a feature film at the Vancouver Women's International Film Festival and was the opening film at 75th Yorkton International Film Festival in May. Donkeyhead won 3 Leo Awards in 2022 for best screenplay, best lead actress and best lead actor. Agam was also awarded best director at the 43rd Durban International Film Festival in 2022. Agam was been nominated for outstanding achievement in directing for the 2022 Director's Guild of Canada Awards and wonBest Lead Performance by a Female at the 2022 ACTRA/UBCP awards.

Agam recently co created and directed the pilot episode of the TV Series Our Big Punjabi Family, set to premiere in 2023.

Agam is a recipient of the illustrious Film Independent Project Involve 2020 Fellowship as a writer, and is the co-founded the VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL SOUTH ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL (VISAFF). Currently in its tenth year, the festival focuses on 'bridging the gap' between South Asian talent and mainstream audiences, by breaking stereotypes and expanding North American views on South Asian culture.

Raza Jaffrey was born on 28 May 1975 in Wallasey, Merseyside, England, UK. He is an actor, known for Homeland (2011), Code Black (2015) and The Rhythm Section (2020). He has been married to Lara Pulver since 27 December 2014. They have two children. He was previously married to Miranda Raison.

Harish Patel was born on 5 July 1953 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. He is an actor, known for Run Fatboy Run (2007), Eternals (2021) and Andaz Apna Apna (1994).

Was born on February 20, 1990 in Bombay (Mumbai), India. Abhi grew up primarily in Pittsburgh where he attended the prestigious Shadyside Academy. He played competitive hockey while all along underplaying his abilities as a saxophonist. In middle school he began receiving awards and recognition as an accomplished saxophonist. He later moved with his family to the west coast where he attended The Webb Schools and began acting in his school's productions. After graduating from Webb, he attended USC his Freshman year, but then took an indefinite leave of absence to actively pursue a career as an actor. Plays the saxophone, tennis and ice-hockey.

Born in Mumbai, India and raised in Nigeria until the age of seven, Contractor was well-versed in world travels and a variety of cultures at a very young age. She attended boarding school in London from seven to nine years old, then her family moved to Toronto, Canada, where she spent the majority of her childhood and young adulthood. In Toronto, Contractor excelled in academics and trained as a classical ballerina. She attended the Etobicoke School of the Arts, a specialized public arts high school where she not only danced but studied theater as well. At the age of 16, after nearly 10 years of dance Contractor realized she wanted to pursue acting seriously. Upon graduating from high school she accepted a full scholarship to the University of Toronto, where she pursued a masters in theatre and a double major in psychology and sociology. After one year at University, Contractor went to an open call audition for the play Pericles at the prestigious, world-renowned Stratford Shakespeare Festival [Ontario, Canada], and landed the lead role. She received rave reviews for her work in the 92 shows performed, the play was voted the #1 production of the year by Canadian critics, in 2002. Contractor was offered the opportunity to enroll in Stratford's conservatory program, where a select eight men and four women are accepted for a 20-week crash course on classical theater, which she eagerly took. Contractor was guaranteed a spot in the next season of plays, and landed the role of Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream. By the third season with the company, Contractor wanted to pursue film and television. In 2005 she booked a role in a FOX pilot by Anthony Hines [Borat, Bruno, The Dictator]. The role was intense, leaving the actors in character for eight to nine hours a day in front of an audience, and was a precursor to the style of film that Borat would be, just one year later. When the pilot did not get picked up, Contractor decided to go back to school and finish her education. While securing her degrees, she booked "The Border," a Canadian drama for CBC. She starred as Layla Hourani for 26 episodes, and the series aired worldwide. The role also garnered her a Golden Nymph Award at The Montecarlo Television Festival, in 2008. Once the show wrapped, Contractor made the move to Los Angeles.

In 2009, Contractor booked the role of Kayla Hassan, in 21 episodes of the hit FOX series "24." As President Omar Hassan [Anil Kapoor] and Dalia Hassan's [Necar Zadegan] daughter, she was a scene stealer, portraying a seemingly sheltered young woman, whose secret life ends up putting her in horrible conditions. While in production on "24" Contractor also booked a recurring role on CBS' "Rules of Engagement" opposite David Spade and Adhir Kalyan. Other television credits for Contractor include "Lone Star" [FOX] and "Last Resort" [ABC]. On the film front, Contractor has been seen in Seance: The Summoning [Lionsgate] in which she won Best Supporting Actress at WorldFest Houston, in 2012.

In May 2013, Contractor appeared as a devoted wife and mother facing extreme challenges in her family in the highly anticipated, Paramount feature film Star Trek Into Darkness (2013).

When not working, Contractor is an avid runner and yogi. She loves to travel the world, and her preferred method of transportation while in other countries is by motorcycle. She was also born into the ancient religion of Zoroastrianism, and is one of the 150,000 Parsis in the world. Philanthropy is a huge priority for Contractor, she is a strong supporter of the organization Second Harvest to feed the homeless, and Look Good Feel Better, supporting women with cancer. She lives in the Los Angeles area with her husband, son, and border terrier.

Suleka Mathew was born in India, raised in Vancouver and currently resides in Los Angeles working as a professional actress in film, television, radio and theatre.

Having been a lifelong dream of hers, Suleka started to pursue acting early in her college years. She was signed by an agent shortly after enrolling in classes and 6 months later she was hired for her first paid acting job as a lead in an episode of a Canadian anthology series. She has been working extensively in her field ever since.

Suleka's most recent work is on the film That's Amor (2021), the television show, Another Life (2020), and her portrayal of Detective Arlene Branch on TNT's hit show, Claws, for 3 seasons. Other notable roles include working as a series regular on the ABC drama, Red Widow, with Radha Mitchell, TNT's Hawthorne starring Jada Pinkett Smith, and ABC's, Men in Trees, opposite Anne Heche. Other credits include Midnight Sun, Ten Days in the Valley, How to Get Away with Murder, Castle, and The West Wing.

One of Suleka's first major roles was that of Dr. Sunny Raman on the acclaimed and award-winning Canadian dramatic series, Da Vinci's Inquest. An international hit, the series eventually made its syndicated debut in the United States.

Other feature film credits include a starring role in the Sundance Festival hit, Touch of Pink, directed by Ian Iqbal Rashid. She appeared in the independent film, The Score, which was screened at the 2005 Vancouver International Film Festival.

Lavrenti Lopes was born on 29 March 1985 in Mumbai, India. He is an actor and writer, known for The Internship (2013), Desperate Endeavors (2012) and SubHysteria (2010).

Rekha Sharma is known for The Core (2003), Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007) and Love Happens (2009).

Manoj Sood was born in Mombassa, Kenya and grew up in Western Canada. Manoj entered the entertainment world in 1995 and has been working steadily ever since. Manoj, much to his surprise, landed a supporting role in an American MOW after his very first audition. Up until then, his only acting experience had been from his acting classes. A very nervous Manoj walked onto set on his first day of shooting and when the sound-boom operator said "speed", Manoj thought he was saying "speak" so Manoj jumped right into saying his lines. The director then gave a very nervous Manoj his first on-set note: "Manoj they are saying "speed" not "speak" and you have to wait for the word "action" before you say your lines".

Since that day, Manoj has appeared in more than 75 Television and Feature Film productions. He has appeared on popular Television shows like Da Vinci's Inquest (1998), The Dead Zone (2002), Romeo! (2003) and Dead Like Me (2003), as well as numerous others. Manoj has also acted in popular films such as Meltdown (2004) and Rat Race (2001). Manoj plays the comically grumpy and lovable character, "Baber" on all six seasons of the internationally acclaimed TV series, Little Mosque on the Prairie (2007), now airing on Amazon Prime. Manoj also appears in the Amazon Prime series Insomnia (2018), filmed on location in Moscow, Russia and the highly anticipated TNT and Netflix TV series, Snowpiercer (2020). Most recently Manoj appears in the Netflix hit,Wedding Season (2022) and will appear int the new Bob Odenkirk series Lucky Hank (2023). Manoj has been a passionate fly fisherman and amateur astronomer since he was a child so when he's not acting, you will find him fly-fishing with his son or gazing into the universe with his telescope.

Kabir Bedi is one of India's most famous international actors, with a career that spans from Bollywood to Hollywood and Europe, in films, television, theatre, and radio.

Kabir's Italian series "SANDOKAN" made him a major star across all of Europe.

He starred in one of the world's most-watched TV series, "THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL"

He acted in the James Bond "OCTOPUSSY".

He has been a voting member of the "Oscars Academy" (Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences) since 1982.

In recent years, he has acted in 5 films in 5 languages: English, Italian, Hindi, Malayalam, and Telegu.

He is the Honorary Brand Ambassador for Sight Savers India, which performed over 5 million free eye operations across India.

He is the Honorary Brand Ambassador of Care & Share Italia, which educates children from kindergarten to university in the homes and centers in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in India.

To top it all, he has been Knighted by the Italian Republic with its highest civilian honour, "Cavaliere".

The Canadian-born Arizonan actress Tinsel Korey is best known for her role as "Emily" in The Twilight Saga.

Korey's career started after her passion for performing skits as a young child led her to pursue her dream to become a professional actress. As a teen she appeared in many commercials, and landed her first television role on the FOX series "Tru Calling" starring Eliza Dushku. While shooting Spielberg's TNT mini-series "Into the West", she composed a song of the same title that became an underground hit. Tinsel's films range from "The Lookout" starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, "Bullet" an action/thriller feature starring Danny Trejo, to a multitude of SYFY hits such as "Hybrid" "Wyvern" & "Black Forest". Her television credits include shows such as "Longmire", "Z Nation", "The Detour", "Young and the Restless" and Paramounts hit show "Yellowstone"

In between acting roles, Tinsel is an accomplished singer-songwriter who plays piano and guitar mainly creating melodic folk music but also has been featured in rap and EDM tracks. Recently she has been focusing blending the genres of country, blues and Americana.

Korey also enjoys watching hockey, baseball, UFC and has a love affair with all things outdoors.

Tinsel now spends her time in Los Angeles, Vancouver and Arizona with her Border Collie "Lucky".

Kunal Sharma was born on 12 December 1987 in Andover, Massachusetts, USA. He is an actor, known for Hawaii Five-0 (2010), Prison Break (2005) and The Kids Are All Right (2010).

For Amrish Puri, it was virtually the 'Summer of 42'. The actor's long simmering affair with acting found culmination when he reached his early 40s. And while his dream of playing the hero may have been thwarted, he went on to become the most loved villains of all time. He was also an artiste who redefined the dynamics for character actors. If he wowed the critics with his rough-edged portrayals in the art films of Shyam Benegal and Govind Nihalani, he won over the masala movie buffs with his louder-than-life histrionics. Puri with his reverberating baritone, piercing glance and dramatized dialogue delivery was a formidable figure against the hero. His costumes were all about prolific imagination and his one-liners ranging from, 'Mogambo khush hua' to 'Dong kabhi wrong nahin hota' are now part of cinema glossary. Puri even went ahead and worked in Steven Spielberg's Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom and Richard Attenborough's Gandhi, only to return and endorse the diversity that is Bollywood.

But behind the tough facade was a genteel person. "Upright and a true karma-yogi," as son and marine navigator Rajeev Puri describes him. "People from all walks of life loved him - even the police and the politicians." Rajeev adds, "A decade after his demise, some film or the other of his is constantly playing on channels - out of the 350 he did, 200 were hits!" And when people till date come up to him requesting for a photograph because he's the famed Mogambo's (Puri's character in Mr India) son, Rajeev realizes that Mogambo truly is larger than life, in fact beyond it.

Puri graduated from the BM College in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh. Puri was a leader of the RSS youth wing there and that explains why he remained a stickler for discipline and punctuality. In the '50s, he moved to Mumbai and found a job with the Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC). There he met my mother Urmila, a Konkani, and married her. His elder brothers Chaman Puri and Madan Puri were also actors. In fact, we lived with Madanji at Kings Circle for a few years before we shifted to our Santacruz home. Puri passion was acting. He worked during the day and in the evening did amateur theatre with Ebrahim Alkazi, Satyadev Dubey, Vijay Tendulkar and Girish Karnad among others. In fact, Satyadev Dubey and he began Hindi theatre in Mumbai with plays like Hayavadana and Yugati winning him much applause. He became well known as a stage character actor, which led to him doing ads and finally films in the early '70s.

Believe it or not, Amrish Puri wanted to become a Bollywood movie star, but failed a screen test in 1953. And what a failure it was! Mr. Puri, went on to become one of the most renowned and credible villains in the history of Indian cinema. His most memorable and often quoted role is the character of 'Mogambo' (with the catchphrase "Mogambo Khush Hua"). It is still remembered fondly from Mr. India (1987).

On the silver screen, the very first time we felt that times were changing was when dad went to Jaisalmer to shoot Reshma Aur Shera (1971). It was an Ajanta Arts film directed by Sunil Dutt. A lot of new actors were being featured - Raakhee, Amitabh Bachchan, Ranjeet. Puri brought home pictures of the shoot. Puri's son must have been around 12 then and was excited watching them.

Another film, which was to change his life was Girish Karnad's Kannada film Kaadu (1973) where he played the villainous village headman. Girish Karnad handed his Filmfare Best Director trophy to Amrish as a gesture of appreciation. He was then noticed by Shyam Benegal, who featured him in his films Manthan, Nishant and Bhumika through the '70s. He also became part of Govind Nihalani's critically acclaimed films Party, Vijeta, Aakrosh and Ardh Satya. Dad had a flair for roles that betrayed authority and rode the crest of new wave cinema with his earthiness.

In 1980, director Bapu roped in dad to play Duryodhana in Boney Kapoor's Hum Paanch. Soon other filmmakers started offering him villainous roles in commercial films too. After Feroz Khan's Qurbani (1980) there was no looking back.

One film that took him to the acme of his career was Mr India (1987). As the part menacing part comical Mogambo, he won fans across audiences. Mogambo was a favorite with kids because he was a comic-strip like character. At every function he attended, dad was asked to say the Mogambo dialogue. First Amjad Khan as Gabbar Singh in Sholay (1975) and later dad as Mogambo gave villainy a new status. He went on to become the highest paid villain. Earlier character actors were paid paltry sums as compared to the hero.

Puri's career spanned three decades and around 300 films. Among these his favorites remained Koyla, Vidhaata, Pardes, Chachi 420, Ghatak, Ghayal, Damini, Meri Jung and Saza-E-Kala Pani.

Off camera, his children remember their father as someone who was larger than life, someone who was strict but never unreasonable. Someone who urged us to speak the truth. He urged us to follow the three Ps - patience, perseverance and persistence.

Puri was realistic and that's why he insisted that his children seek a secure profession. He once told his son, "See, acting is my first love. I've been polishing my act for years. It took me long to establish myself. There's no need for you to be awed by the profession. You needn't risk your future. You must complete your education." That's why, I joined the Merchant Navy in 1978. I sailed for 11 years. It used to be fun watching his films on the ship.

As an actor he had a great ability to switch on and off. He was not fond of smoking, drinking or parties. His idols were Dilip Kumar, Motilal, Balraj Sahni and Amitabh Bachchan. He worked with Raj Kumar, Dilip saab, Amitji... he was like a student in front of them and had absolutely no ego. Also, a lot of youngsters began their careers with him like Ajay Devgan in Phool Aur Kaante and Shah Rukh Khan in Deewana. He was easy to work with except that he had no patience with people who didn't respect time.

Puri was particular about having nutritious food. He was largely vegetarian but enjoyed fish. He practiced yoga and was an early riser. He was one of the first members of Talwalkars gym in Mumbai. Also, he preserved his vocal chords. He stayed away from fried stuff. He'd just have a piece of sev puri when we insisted. Once he happened to shave off his hair for a Rakesh Kumar film. He was told his personality looked better that way. The bald look appealed to Steven Spielberg, who then offered him Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom, where he played Mola Ram. Puri realized that with a shaved head, he could try different get ups. He was well-versed with the art of make-up and wigs. He knew the concentration of hair that a hairpiece for a 50-year-old character or a 60-year-old character would require. He also spent time with the tailors - in fact, directors often asked him to work on his costumes. He'd pick his own ties, bows, shirts for a role. He enjoyed observing people as he drove in his car. He'd keenly watch the hawaldar, the fit of his shirt, how worn out his shoes were which helped him play one in Gardish.

Puri loved watches. He owned all the possible brands. He was intrigued by its technology and the way each piece was assembled. Each time he'd go abroad, he'd visit a showroom and call me up excitedly, "Tikoo (my pet name) I've bought such a handsome looking watch!" Another fascination he had was for Mercedez Benz cars. He'd keep buying the latest editions. His family maintained his 1983 model in showroom condition.

Known for frequently portraying menacing, sadistic villains, Puri received a huge fan mail of around 50 to 60 letters a day. Some fans would constantly sit on the footpath outside our home to catch a glimpse of him. Women also wrote to him. Many were crazy about him. But he was not a young actor. By the time he got recognition he was 45. My mom did feel possessive with all the attention being showered on him. But she understood. He was at an age where he knew what to absorb and what to keep away from. He was cautious. He did have shades of romance in his role opposite Farida Jalal in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. That subtle equation suited his age. His female co-stars liked him because he was protective about them. He'd check with the production guys whether they were comfortable or not. While he was being pampered, he wanted them to enjoy those facilities too. He was like a father figure to junior artistes too. He'd call up the producers who defaulted on their payments.

Once they were shooting at Amritsar railway station for Gadar - Ek Prem Katha. Huge crowds had gathered and there was so much noise that the shooting couldn't proceed. Sunny Deol wanted to leave. Dad took over and in his baritone said, "Allow us to do our work. I want pin drop silence!" There was a hush and the shooting resumed.

Shyam Benegal cast him in movies such as Nishant (1975), Bhumika (1977), and Manthan (1976). Yash Chopra cast him in Mashaal (1984), the same year that Steven Spielberg cast him in his best-known role outside of India, as Mola Ram in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984). His elder brother is none other than Bollywood actor Madan Puri.

Guddu Dhanoa's Jaal The Trap for (2003) was shot in Himachal Pradesh. Unfortunately, Puri met with an accident there. He suffered serious injuries on his face and eye. He lost a lot of blood and consequently had to undergo blood transfusion. Something went wrong there because in the coming years, he developed a blood disorder (myelodysplastic syndrome). It began with weakness and reduced appetite. When he came to know about the fatality of his illness he was shaken. But he had an iron will. He wanted to project a strong side to the world. Puri knew that at age 72 there was little that he could repair and that he was ailing. Jo hona hai woh hoga - that was his stance.

Puri was keen to complete the projects on hand, even though he was in pain. His terminal illness was detected in September 2003 and by December 15, 2004, he had finished all his films - Kachchi Sadak, Mujhse Shaadi Kaoroge, Hulchul, Ksna and Aitraaz despite looking emaciated, pale, frail . He was at home for a brief period. But he didn't want to remain bedridden. When asked how he was feeling he'd just say, "Kal se behtar hoon." Then one day he had a fall at home and suffered a massive brain hemorrhage. He passed away in Mumbai on January 12, 2005 due to a brain hemorrhage

Puri had served as the President of Cine and TV Artistes Association for six years before his demise. As a mark of respect the industry remained shut for two days. The whole road from our house in Juhu to the electric crematorium at Shivaji Park was full with people. There were onlookers perched on trees and buildings.

As a tribute to him the Times Of India carried a piece, which was titled, "No guns only roses." People recall his famous dialogue in Pardes, "What's the bottom line?" Well, for me it would be never doing anything that would disappoint him.

Rupak Ginn is a Los Angeles based, New York raised actor who has appeared off-Broadway as well as in numerous TV shows and films. Selected highlights include seven seasons on USA's "Royal Pains," Universal's "The High Note," and "The Stone Witch" off-Broadway. He is also the host of the upcoming food and travel show "Dhabas" for ITVS.

Shelly Desai was born on 3 December 1935 in Bombay, Bombay Presidency, British India. He is an actor, known for Escape from L.A. (1996), Here Comes the Boom (2012) and Barb Wire (1996).

Born in Chingford Essex United Kingdom, and not India as published, the actor is English of Parsi ancestry not an Indian citizen. She subsequently moved at age 9 . The family later returned to the UK where she completed her education.with her parents to Hong Kong while it was still under British control

A classically trained actor, Anil Kumar was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota and raised in Kent Ohio. He holds a BA in Psychology from Kent State University and earned an MFA from the Professional Actor Training Program at Rutgers University under the tutelage of William Esper, Maggie Flanningan, Leonard Petit, Pierre Lefevre, and Lloyd Williamson. Kumar has numerous television credits including leading, recurring and guest starring roles on The Cape as Ruvi the Mesmerist, Life, Nip/Tuck, K-Ville, E-ring, Inconceivable, Six Feet Under, 24 as the sinister Khalil Hasan, JAG, ER, Miss Match, The Agency, Traffic, Law & Order: SVU and Oz. Film credits include The 5 written and directed by Ravi Kapoor, The Ode written by Ghalib Dhalla and produced by Bharat Shah, Pride and Glory written and directed by Gavin O'Connor, The Two Faces of Janus, Westbank Brooklyn, Marmalade, Story of a Bad Boy, The Karaoke King and the cult hit American Desi. Anil is currently guest starring this season of Revenge for ABC. Kumar has performed on stage in almost every major city in the United States. His NYC stage debut was alongside Alec Baldwin, Angela Basset and Liev Schreiber in the Public Theater's production of Macbeth directed by George C. Wolfe. While in New York he collaborated with the likes of Terrance McNally, Joseph Chaikin, Joe Mantello and Lynne Meadow. Anil originated the role of Mohamed and enjoyed an over two-and-a-half year run in Manhattan Theater Club's production of Charles Busch's smash Broadway hit The Tale of the Allergist's Wife, alongside Valerie Harper, Linda Lavin, Michele Lee and Tony Roberts. Anil also originated the role of Vincent in the world premiere of Harry Kondolean's Saved or Destroyed at the Cleveland Public. He co-starred in the US premiere of Tom Stoppard's Indian Ink at ACT in San Francisco directed by Carey Perloff. Anil originated leading roles and produced several critically acclaimed world premier plays in NYC and LA as a founding member of East 4th Street Productions: Backseats and Bathroom Stalls (Love Sucks), What's Wrong with Getting Laid?, as well as co-creating and writing The Dairy Farm: Land of Milk and Hunnies. In 2011 Love Sucks enjoyed an over 16 week run playing to sold out houses at The Coast Playhouse in West Hollywood. Anil is currently working on his first solo play: Rise and Shine: a semi-autobiographical cautionary tale. It will soon premiere in Los Angeles directed by Reena Dutt with musical direction by Samrat Chakrabarti. Anil also serves on the Board of Directors for the elementary school dance program Ballroom Madness. An organization that implements a dynamic dance program that develops creative potential, sets a foundation of respect, teamwork, confidence, and a sense of accomplishment for every student one step at a time, Ballroom Madness teaches thousands of students every year throughout Los Angeles. He has written three children's books (My Dog Fred, I Had a Dog Named Mac and The Grateful DOODS) with his sister-in-law, illustrator and collaborator Heather Valenzuela. Anil is also an avid snowboarder, a Pisces and plays the guitar very poorly.

Mitra was born in Paddington, London, England, the daughter of Nora Downey and Anthony Mitra, a cosmetic surgeon. She has an older and a younger brother. Her father is of Bengali Indian and English descent, and her mother is Irish. In 1984, when Mitra was eight, her parents divorced, and she was sent to boarding school. She spent several years at two different schools, including Roedean, but Mitra claims she was eventually expelled from both of them.

Mitra's first main role came as Scott Wolf's illicit love interest on Party of Five (1994). In 2000, Mitra had a small, key role in the film Hollow Man (2000), as the rape victim of Kevin Bacon, an incident that drives his character insane. She had a main role in the medical drama Gideon's Crossing (2000), as "Dr. Alejandra Ollie Klein". Mitra then had roles in Ali G Indahouse (2002); Sweet Home Alabama (2002); Stuck on You (2003), and leading roles in Highwaymen (2004) and Spartacus (2004). Mitra appeared in the final season of The Practice (1997) as "Tara Wilson", and continued that role into its spin-off Boston Legal (2004), but left not long into the second season. In 2005, Mitra played the role of "Kit McGraw" during Season 3 of Nip/Tuck (2003). Mitra then went on to appear in Skinwalkers (2006), The Number 23 (2007) and Shooter (2007). In 2008, Mitra starred in the lead role of the science fiction/action film Doomsday (2008) as "Major Eden Sinclair", and, in 2009, went on to star in Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009) as "Sonja", the daughter of the powerful vampire elder, "Viktor" (played by Bill Nighy).

Mitra appeared as the live action model for "Lara Croft", the lead character in Eidos Interactive's Tomb Raider video game series. She was ranked #46 on the Maxim Hot 100 Women of 2001.

Jessica Clark was born in 1985 in London, England, UK. She is an actress and writer, known for Pocket Listing (2015), True Blood (2008) and Chemistry (2011). She was previously married to Lacey Stone.

Meaghan Rath was born on 18 June 1986 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. She is an actress and producer, known for Hawaii Five-0 (2010), New Girl (2011) and Schitt's Creek (2015). She has been married to Jack Cutmore-Scott since 16 May 2020. They have two children.