Update: Have changed the header from ‘Om Puris wife Exposes embarassing truths in biography’ to the present one, for reasons which will be clear on reading through.The past four years of my life as a blogger whence I chose to write on topics after a careful and meticulous pre ponderance so as not to ‘take sides’ undeservedly, provided no cause for regrets. This is the first episode where I confess that I granted too much credibility to Om Puri and allowed my heart to bleed for his alleged predicament. What a sucker I was!!.
Link to the article that made me want to take up cudgels for him, empathise with the sense of victimisation he had (I thought) expressed so honestly,heart breakingly, so here I was holding my ground for Om Puri the old and greying thespian who , as quoted by him, was now a butt of cheap gossip,when it was actually me being taken for a royal ride with my gullibility exposing itself wholly despite the fact that my blogger friends repeatedly warned me that it was merely a premeditated publicity gimmick.
Link to the article by the same Om Puri, just a day later. unabashedly in complete reversal of his original wail, neither denying nor affirming whether the portions of his affairs with his maids was included with his permission and cognisance. Instead he tangentially takes of on the hackneyed ‘media abuse’ etc, By now, as you must have guessed I was completely aghast, taken aback, shaken and finally bored. What a waste of emotion for a couple who knew exactly what they were doing and why…like my journalist friend Mr. Mohan Siroya mentioned in the comments section.
Link to a similar disgruntlement expressed by the journalist Subhash Jha who claims he had been used too.
This has been a learning experience for me. Media blowing up stories was a fact I was well versed with but to think that respected actors of the Om Puri variety would sensationalise their sordid sexual life to publicise what may have otherwise been a rather staid biography, is unimaginable. Shobhaa De was right, and so were a million others who saw through it all. I didnt and am disenchanted, disillusioned,disgruntled and somewhere broken. His biography is one book I shall NEVER read!
Original article follows… At the risk of reiteration..Gosh what a sucker I was!!.
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Fame and peace can never be bedfellows. You invite fame into your life and tranquility bids you a hasty farewell.Fame the fugacious guest, surreptitiously hides behind it infamy, which monster like grows with each breath of adulation , waiting to expose its gargantuan self at the appropriate time. The latest victim is Om Puri the thespian who has achieved accolades beyond Indian shores. The shocking part is that in this case his wife turned out to be Brutus.
In a biography penned by Nandita Puri, the sexual life of Om Puri has been dealt with in great detail much to the embarrassment and chagrin of the actor, who reveals that he had no knowledge of the manuscript prior to its publication.
Om’s main reason for being upset is Nandita’s revelation that he had sex with his maid Shanti at the age of 14. She has also exposed Om’s longstanding liaison with a woman named Laxmi with whom Om was sexually and emotionally involved.
The write-up goes on to reveal that Laxmi was a maid as well. ( What is with men and their maids?? One would have thought that the Shiney Ahuja escapade was a notorious aberration. But it seems I am pathetically uninformed with the ways of the world, living in an insulated bubble far removed from reality. Ahh ..that pains..really!! Its almost ubiquitous in one form or another. Ever heard of women involved in such activities with their servants?! Not me.. or am I being naive again)
The point of this post however is not to delve into the intricacies of Mr Puris sexual life but the malapropos exploitation by a wife of truths privy to her. Is Marriage and loyalty extant? Its unimaginable that a wife, yet in marriage would think of including such personal and hugely embarrassing details in the biography of her husband ostensibly with the purpose of extolling his virtues.
Nandita Kya sochi..sardar bahut khush hoga? Sabaashi dega? Frivolity aside..just what was she thinking? Is this a clear indication that the marriage is over? Did she have to inform him and the world via the publishers? Just how does she plan to tackle the questions posed by her child/children? Honestly this decision-making process undertaken by Ms Nandita Puri leaves me embarrassed at being a wife.
Enmity even after a bitter battle of divorce and custody shouldnt result in such a demeaning end to what must have been a relationship with ‘moments’. If the idea was to countervail malicious intent and yet expose such truths then she has without a shadow of doubt failed miserably. If Om Puri comes across as a man with weaknesses and foibles then Nandita is equally in the dock for being a woman sans integrity and steadfastness.To be dubbed perfidious,treacherous,faithless and cruelly so, is imho no less disparaging than an inappropriate sexual liaison.
Will their marriage survive this mammoth scarring? Or more pertinent is the query, was there a marriage worth the reckoning in the first place? If marriage is just being flatmates, which is the case of most today, then it may. But purposeless and artificially so.
The more I ponder on this issue the more does perplexity increase. Was she plain stupid, irresponsible? Or neurotic, a ‘woman scorned’ and reeking vengeance for undisclosed reasons? Or simply a clever saleswoman hell-bent on selling copies of her book even if it meant mortgaging her relationship ? Will we ever know? But if actions speak louder than words the one can safely conclude that this act by a wife is one of the most shameful in the history of Bollywood .
Sachiniti 
“If Om Puri comes across as a man with weaknesses and foibles then Nandita is equally in the dock for being a woman sans integrity and steadfastness.To be dubbed perfidious,treacherous,faithless and cruelly so, is imho no less disparaging than an inappropriate sexual liaison.”
Well said Kaveeta ji. It is true I cannot recall a single other example of a ife speaking so openly in a book against her husband and that too without his permission. Shocking.feel really bad for Puri.
Comment by Krishnan — November 11, 2009 @ 1:52 pm |
At the fag end of an actors life and career which has scaled stupendous zenith and then to face a nadir,to be thus exposed in a matter of his private life that too on incidents which occurred aeons back, is surely tragic. To add to this angst is the fact that the person involved is his own wife. ‘Ghar ka bhedi lanka Dhaaye’.. how true.. as much now as in the times of the Ramayan.
His talent is unmatched and that should not be sidelined in the minds of the people. That is my only hope. We humans, although full of weaknesses ourselves are really harsh when judging another’s behaviour.. I personally wish to give him a long rope. But people like his wife who decide to gossip on lives of those nearest deserve a harsh judgment. It is too pre meditated and intentional to ignore.
Comment by Kaveetaa Kaul — November 11, 2009 @ 2:50 pm |
I would like to know if you have read any part of the said book? I have read the excerpts and I don’t think its offensive let alone derogatory. It is very lovingly written and I have serious doubt that he hadn’t read the manuscript while in production.
Your article is quite inadequate, you have our facts all mixed up, like Shanti was his aunt and not his maid (Now that is something very offensive!!)
Although it isn’t a book I would pick up, but I thinks it is rather inappropriate for you to defame someone when especially when you aren’t even in the position to have a well rooted opinion.
But then, it is a free country so opine away!
Cheers,
Ruchi
Comment by Ruchi — November 12, 2009 @ 10:20 am |
What I would like to know is whether you have read the article posted in Mumbai Mirror and which is quoted as the source of this write up? It is obvious you have not or you wouldnt have put your foot into your mouth by writing
Shanti was his aunt and not his maid when it is in quotations on my post from the said source!! And also to question if I have read the book when it has been clarified that the book has yet to be officially released is immature and jumping the gun in an effort to denounce my write up.
And if only you care to read what the author and wife Nandita Puri has herself been quoted as saying in the article in Mumbai Mirror:
“Om has all the human foibles, just like all of us. He had sex as an adolescent with his maid and then he had a long liaison with the other lady who was also a maid. This was his way of coming out of his other relationships and demolishing class differences. If Om has any objection to her being called a maid he’s just being unrealistic.””
Ha.. you for some reason seem to know more than her about Shanti..strange!!
As for your opinion on my opinion, I wonder how you can have one since it is so biased and reeks of nepotism if not vengeful anger for reasons beyond my knowledge. I advise that you please get your facts right and then venture to write derogatory remarks on somebodys blog in an effort to malign and defame. Perhaps you also need to read this.
http://mumbaimirror.com/index.aspx?page=article§id=41&contentid=2009111220091112021034203adf6c5a1
This link will direct you to my article quoted in Mumbai Mirror the very paper that has brought out the story. If there was an iota of misconception in my post it would not have been published in their paper. So madam if you are taking up cudgels on behalf of anyone it is pertinent that you sort out in your head what is the truth as presented to the world by the media and what is a fabrication you wish to present it!!
Whew!! Anyone and everyone opines these days without thought and consideration to doing the basics of at least making some effort to authenticate on their objections which are so blatantly ridiculous.
Cheers
Comment by Kaveetaa Kaul — November 12, 2009 @ 7:45 pm |
Aha! So you get your facts from Mumbai Mirror… That explains the lack of though development and the knee jerk reaction. As a matter of fact, I did read the Mumbai Mirror article, both of them even the one that followed where he apologized to his wife (Hint! Hint!) But maybe you should read the last weeks Tehelka cover (They have substantial excerpts!!) and next time don’t read just one damned article and get your ink flowing,; research would be a good idea!!
Cheers,
Ruchi
P.S.: The Tehelka story: http://tehelka.com/story_main43.asp?filename=hub141109my_husband.asp
Comment by Ruchi — November 14, 2009 @ 7:21 am |
It is a publicity stunt to sell the biography because SK Jha has reported in the media and he is known for his yellow journalism… how low can stars stoop to sell themselves… They are worst than Politicians in fact… An actor like OM PURI had to stoop so low to be hands-in-gloves with his wife’s publicity gimmick… how come you didn’t sense such a foolish (now a regular feature… Agassi did to sell his autobiography) publicity stunt by Nandita Puri?
Comment by Rahul — November 12, 2009 @ 3:12 pm |
Rahul.. I am not aware what Subhash Jha has reported in the media. All I know of this case is the article in Mumbai Mirror which I have quoted and which smacks of honesty and outrage on the part of Om puri. My intuit is that I want to believ him.. Let us wait and watch.
Comment by Kaveetaa Kaul — November 12, 2009 @ 7:51 pm |
Wow Kavita !
Frankly, I did not expect you, being yourself a part of fame and showbiz; to fall for this PUBLICITY STUNT, stage managed to create sensation and controversy merely to boost the “promotion” of the book ?
Both husband and wife are highly talented in their own spheres, Om as Actor and Nandita as Journalist/Author. Both know well what sells in the market .
All the best and regards to U and Pawanji.
Mohan
Comment by Mohan Siroya — November 12, 2009 @ 3:42 pm |
Mohan ji.. Yes I seem to have fallen hook line and sinker for this publicity stunt if it is actually so!! Would Om Puri resort to this at his age and juncture in life?? Even the most cynical and apprehensive part of my mentality refuses to believe it. Why o Why?? If this turns out to be true ( that it is a publicity stunt) I will have to teach myself to look at news with a blinkered stance that is totally disbelieveing. But in case my hunch is right and Mumbai Mirrors article is genuine as is Om Puri then at least there was one voice that has taken up for Om Puri..I will calm myself with that.
Comment by Kaveetaa Kaul — November 12, 2009 @ 7:49 pm |
Franly,I am bit surprised when I read about this.Does Nandita realise as to how is it going to hurt the children?Will it hurt his carrier and fan following?
I find it difficult at the same time to believe that Om had no idea about the content of the book before it went for printing.
Only Om and Nandita can answer some questions and I think time is not very far before they will come together answer.
I have known Om personally and hope the answers will come.
Comment by B K CHOWLA — November 12, 2009 @ 4:32 pm |
So true Chowla ji. I hope too that truth shines through especially now that I seem to be the only one on Planet earth who believes in his statements.
Comment by Kaveetaa Kaul — November 12, 2009 @ 7:55 pm |
Kaveetaa,
Enmity even after a bitter battle of divorce and custody shouldn’t result in such a demeaning end to what must have been a relationship with ‘moments ‘Enmity even after a bitter battle of divorce and custody shouldn’t result in such a demeaning end to what must have been a relationship with ‘moments’
Another great write up, very well said.
You know I have stop worrying about the whole world we only have 3 more years to leave 2012 is just around the corner.
As always love to read your blog.
Thanks
Sur
Comment by Sur — November 13, 2009 @ 7:26 am |
Thanks a ton Sur. And 2012 ? Ahh for me the world will end and does end when we stop living each moment in complete surrender and with the awareness that all is ephemeral. 2012 is a zillion moments away 🙂 And No I dont actually believ this but in the final analysis once it ends how does it matter how we died. Whats important is how we lived. I am sure the Puri family certainly have no clue about right living 🙂
Comment by Kaveetaa Kaul — November 13, 2009 @ 9:28 am |
It is unimaginable and impossible that a wife like Nandita and family friend of ours while scripting the actor Om Puri’s biography would think of taking undue advantage of her husband s virtues by focusing only his ‘inappropriate sexual liaison’ as addressed by the press. This mammoth scarring and sensationalism by the media to sell their papers has taken a toll on the entire Puri family and their son (who is my Godson). Their marriage will survive his storm, as yesterday Om made sure that Nandita partied on her birthday in Mumbai, while he kept calling in from Chandigarh making sure she was well besides having a word with all friends present. It’s unfortunate she’s being defamed and being made out to be neurotic as a cheap and clever sales woman to sell her book. It was contrary to the ‘ghostly resonance’ that blazed on her face after being maligned by the media a day earlier. The family is hoping to overcome this storm… so will the media please be humane enough to leave the family in peace to heal and will all my journalist friends please stand up too! It’s time to show loyalty!- Anooradha Patel/ Mrs. Kanwaljit Singh
Comment by Anooradha Patel — November 13, 2009 @ 8:26 am |
When issues are brought out into the open by the persons involved themselves then the world cannot be blamed for denouncing the alleged perpetrator and certainly not for showing compassion. If Om Puri decided to wash his dirty linen in public by addressing the press and giving out statements that spoke clearly and lucidly of how he had been betrayed by his wife, why pick on those who react with humanism and decide to take up for him? Perhaps those like me should have adopted the stand of the cynic and kept away waving it off as ‘complete rubbish’ as most have done.
Not all know Puri and his wife, why should we and that is not even the core issue here. If loyalty needs to be shown then a lesson has to be given to both parties to be loyal to each other and stop making a cheap gimmick and playing with the sentiments of those like me who have in total gullibility fallen hook line and sinker for Mr Puris sob story of not having known the contents of the book and of his life having been reduced to ‘cheap and lurid gossip’, as the headline screamed a day earlier. He does not have the decency to now admit openly that ‘YES I knew’ which is what the outrage was about.
I for one an certainly NOT going to buy/read this piece of manipulated hype (book) I am completely and totally put off by the antics of the couple. So instead of asking the world to be humane and show loyalty you should be restricting that to the parties concerned…your ‘family friends’! They need to learn the denotation and connotation of the terms more than anyone else.
I have no symapthy for turncoats as what is evident in the press today .If they are going to use the media to hoodwink the public then they have to pay the price as well. Nothing comes for free. This couple surely deserves one another and I couldnt care less what either are going through after personally having been put on a limb believing one of them unconditionally.
What an utterly despicable spectacle!!!
Comment by Kaveetaa Kaul — November 13, 2009 @ 9:25 am |
Hi ! Kavita
I appreciate your belief and views.. In my humble opinion ,the “MM” article written by a wellknown publicist can not be called a “News” . And now today the same paper has published ‘An Apology” offered by Om Puri for wife Nandita (article by the same writer) but blaming the PUBLISHER for the mess. I would be happy if there is no third instalment of the article in the same paper quoting Om Puri again for blaming Media/ publicist to have misinterpreted his quotes .
This also amply shows that his wife Nandita was not wrong but only TRUTHFUL as a bio-grapher.
And what a blame to publisher? That they have unnecessarily and only HIGLIGHTED/leaked THE SEXUAL episodes ,to get the pre-sell publcity for his wife’s book. Will it need a brain to know who is going to get moolah for selling more by way of royalty ?
I think ,discriminatory readers of such tabloids are aware that film pages of MMR or the film/entertainment suppliments of the regular national papers are no news but ” JUICY PUBLICITY MATERIAL”. And goes without saying that gossips/controversies do boost the sell of paper itself .As these are mere ENTERTAINMENT pages, nothing wrong morally to make it a marketing strategy.
And all said and done , what’s wrong if a fact or truth is “highlighted” even as a publicity? HAMARE BHARAT MEIN AAJ KOI BHI “DUDH KA DHULA HUWA” shaqss, PAISA NAHI KAMA SAKTA.
Warm regards
Mohan
Comment by Mohan Siroya — November 13, 2009 @ 7:39 pm |
Hi kaveetaa,
As your usual your blog is good.. I am not a daily reader of mumbai mirror..But i read times of india online daily .. and like Mohanji I also feel that they regularly print “juicy” material which is not at all a good practice..I am losing respect for TOI as a responsible newspaper because of this.. They Might be to increase their readership or whatever it is..
Was nandita’s action for publicity stunt or whether om puri was aware that she was going to print it..We will never know the real answers.. They both are the best judge for it.. If Om puri has really done something then i feel instead of getting angry on his wife, he should admit and apologize to his fans who must be feeling hurt.. But again its his call.. As usual our media has shown that they can go to any extent to create sensationalism.. 😦 .. In fact today itself, i was reading suchitra krishnamoorthi’s blog and in her blog she has mentioned about how she has got affected by a juicy and misquoted article written about her 2 years back.. The link is :- http://www.suchitra.com/2009/11/the-good-news-reporter-2/
Comment by Rajeev — November 14, 2009 @ 7:47 pm |
HI ! KAVITA !!
CHEERS. I do not know how to put the emotive symbols of cheers in these comments,so wrote in words .
I am sure, by now,you might have got a failrly good idea of the entire episode . Same tabloid “MMR” carried on pg. 25 at the top under views a statement issued by Om Puri. ” IT PAINS ME THAT MY FAMILY AND I HAVE TO GO THRU’SO MUCH EMBARRASMENT. IT HAS BEEN COMPLETELY BLOWN OUT OF PROPORTION AND “THEY____HAVE” ADDDED WORDS WHICH I HAVE NOT SAID OR EVEN HEARD OF”
—- OM PURI COMMENTING ON THE SUPPOSED BITTER EXCHANGES BETWEEN HIM AND HIS WIFE NANDITA ,WHO RECENTLY REVEALED DETAILS OF HIS SEXUAL ENCOUNTERS IN HIS EARLY YEARS .
Who are “THEY”? Obviously media who quoted him. SO what I had predicted in my commenton 13 th Nov. that there won’t be a wonder ,if next day Om Puri comes with a statment about ‘MISQUOTING BY MEDIA” .And it did come on 14 th morning.
“Mumbai Mirror” failed to print Nandita’s version but another daily paper DNA quoted NANDITA’S STATEMENT.( 14 th NOv.)I just quote below the relevant portion of statement as published by paper , which will strengthen my views:
” WHILE OM ACCUSED THE MEDIA FOR SENSAIONALIZING PORTIONS FROM THE BOOK WRITTEN BY HIS WIFE, NANDITA IS NOW ALLEGING THAT HER HUSBAND HAS BEEN “MISQUOTED” BY A “LEADING TABLOID”..—– HOWEVER NANDITA ADMITS THAT THE CONTROVERSY HAS BROUGHT THE BOOK IN THE LIMELIGHT”.
No more proof is required that contrary to the fears that what is written in the book will”Spoil” the marriage and love bond between them, I am of the opinion that this (Entire Controversy)was a ‘Befitting’ and well thought of gift from a “Loving husband to her charming-talented wife” on her birth day in order to further strengthen their mutual love bond.
Cheers, and ALL the Best to MR. & MRS. OM PURI
Mohan Siroya
Comment by Mohan Siroya — November 15, 2009 @ 6:24 pm |
Mohan ji and Rajeev. Thanks so much for your coments. Please read my update. All will be clear.
Come to think of it this episode has spoken more of Om Puri than what may have been illustrated in the book. Also who would be interested in actually wanting to know additionally on the man after this see saw spate of diverse comments and behaviour, is to be debated.It was bad enough that to have tried to get over the shock of his sexual escapades and now..this. Honestly, his exploits maybe okay for his wife, although I wonder how and why but considering they can stoop to this its not that surprising. But to imagine that his son is going to be proud of his father knowing of his personal life is unbelievale. What business of parenting is this. And please Mr Puri you aint no Mahatama Gandhi to carry of your experiments with truth!! Blasphemy!
Comment by Kaveetaa Kaul — November 24, 2009 @ 4:46 pm |