Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri to be honoured in London

London, June 29, 2007. Indian actors Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri will be honoured by the UK-based film organisation India-EU Film Initiative on Sunday, 1st July 2007, at the Nehru Centre, the cultural wing of the High Commission of India in London. Pictured, Shah and Puri on the sets of Mundhra's 'Shoot on Sight', in London.

"The honour for Om Puri and Naseeruddin Shah also reflects the success of Indian cinema that has has been making inroads into 'Crossover cinema' of which these two actors have truly remained the engine drivers. The incredible success of Shah's 'Monsoon Wedding' and Puri's 'East is East' among international audiences illustrates this point. These two living legends, who attended the same school of acting and started their film career around the same time, will speak on 'Life and times in Indian cinema' before an invited audience, followed by a reception," told Pervaiz Alam, the director of India-EU Film Initiative.

"According to world's largest accountancy firm Price Waterhouse Coopers, Indian Entertainment Industry will be hitting £22.5 billion mark by 2011. It's time to applaud Indian Film Industry for being the face of entertainment. For more than thirty years these two actors have been entertaining the masses in India and abroad, and yet their style of acting is so different and special that the connoisseurs of cinema describe them as role models for those who want to take up acting seriously," said Jagmohan Mundhra, the renowned film-maker and President of India-EU Film Initiative.

Naseeruddin Shah, 56, a former pupil of the 'National School of Drama' and 'Film and Television Institute', started his film career with Shyam Benegal's path-breaking film 'Nishant' (1975). Two national awards (Sparsh 1980, Paar 1984), three Filmfare awards (Aakrosh 1980, Chakra 1981, Masoom 1983) and an award at Venice Film Festival (Paar 1984) do not tell one the whole story. He's revered in India as an actor. He has also been awarded Padma Vibhushan, India's third highest civilian award, by the government of India.

Om Puri, 56, also studied at the 'National School of Drama' and 'Film and Television Institute', and made his debut in Ghashiram Kotwal, a film based on Vijay Tendulkar's controversial play. An OBE made by the British government and winner of several national awards in India, Puri is better known in the UK for his memorable roles in 'My Son the Fanatic' (1997) and 'East Is East' (1999). His portrayal of a police officer in Hindi film 'Ardh Satya' (1982) catapulted him to incredible heights in India. Puri's portfolio of Hindi, British, Hollywood films is huge.