Om Puri's Reflections on His Role in Dev and Amitabh Bachchan's Casting

Om Puri's Role in Dev and His Thoughts on Casting

In the film Dev, directed by Govind Nihalani, Om Puri portrayed the role of a corrupt law enforcer, contrasting with Amitabh Bachchan's character as the virtuous cop.

Known for his candidness, Om once caught me off guard by asking, “Why wasn’t I considered for Amitabh Bachchan's role in Dev? I hold him in the highest esteem. I played his elder brother in Ravi Chopra’s Baabul, despite being eight years younger. It was a joy to collaborate with him for the first time.”

Reflecting on the film's 21st anniversary on June 11, Om expressed his disappointment. “I had previously worked with Govind on the successful film Ardh Satya. However, for his big-budget project Dev, he chose Bachchan for the lead role, relegating me to the part of the villainous cop. I often feel let down by directors like Govind, Prakash Jha, and Raj Kumar Santoshi. They seek out actors like Naseer and me when they need us, but for their commercial ventures, they turn to the stars,” he remarked. The film also featured Fardeen Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan in significant roles.