"Vo heroes se ek rupaya zyada lete the": Saurabh Shukla talks about Amrish Puri's humility and dedication

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 12 (ANI): Actor and writer Saurabh Shukla reminisced about his experience working with legendary actor Amrish Puri on the sets of the 2001 political action film Nayak: The Real Hero, starring Anil Kapoor. Shukla highlighted Puri's humility, dedication, and professional ethos that left a deep impression on him.
Sharing anecdotes from the set, 'Jolly LLB' actor revealed that Amrish Puri used to charge "one rupee more than the hero" and managed his work without a secretary or driver.
'Nayak: The Real Hero' was co-written and directed by Shankar, produced by A M Rathnam, and featured a star-studded cast including Anil Kapoor, Rani Mukerji, Paresh Rawal, Johnny Lever, and Amrish Puri. The film was a remake of Shankar's 1999 Tamil hit 'Mudhalvan'.
In an exclusive interview with ANI, Shukla said, "It was enough for me that I was cast in a film. It has a huge cast..Anil Kapoor the..Amrish Puri sahab the.. It was a very good experience, South ki bahut badi film thi vo..a big hit, and I enjoyed working in the film. Amrish Puri sahab se pehli baar mila. (I met Amrish Puri for the first time.) Aur mai jab unse mila tab hum stars ko door se dekha karte the.. star hone ka matlab aapke saath ek pura paraphernalia chalta hai (Being a star means a complete paraphernalia moves with you )
Known for his versatility, Puri earned widespread acclaim for his villainous roles through the 1980s and 1990s, marked by his commanding presence and distinctive voice. His notable films include Vidhaata, Shakti, Hero, Meri Jung, Nagina, Mr India, Shahenshah, Ram Lakhan, and Tridev. Amrish Puri passed away on January 12, 2005.
The 'Barfi!' actor shared an anecdote that highlighted Puri's approach towards his work and his stardom. " I came to know..ki vo heroes se ek rupaya zyada lete the (he used to take one rupee more than the hero). He was such a big star. He did not have a secretary..aur unka aesa kuch driver kuch nahi tha..ek unka makeup man tha because he used different makeup for each film. To maine kaha 'Sir aapka staff nahi hai' (Sir, don't you have staff?). He said, 'Mai paagal hu kya paise mai kamau aur baatta rahu staff mein' (Am I crazy..I keep earning money and then distribute it to the staff?). This is the reason I came for this interview, driving my own car."
Reflecting on his experience, Shukla said working alongside Puri and Kapoor energised him and offered profound insight into the craft of acting.
"You are affected by their performance; you react to the environment. This is not a principal jisko soch ke aap aesa karte hai..The point is what you think, what you talk...you become that"
On the work front, Saurabh Shukla is recognised for his memorable roles in films such as Satya, Nayak: The Real Hero, Yuva, Lage Raho Munna Bhai, Barfi!, and Jolly LLB, among others. (ANI)