Hollywood veteran Harrison Ford is bracing to reprise his iconic role of archeologist Indiana Jones one last time in the upcoming ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.’ In a recent interview, he remembered Indian legend Amrish Puri, his co-star in 1984’s ‘Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.’
Puri starred as antagonist Mola Ram, a terrifying occult priest who is into human sacrifices, opposite Ford’s titular whip-cracking archeologist. Set in India, it was the second film in the popular action adventure franchise, directed by Steven Spielberg.
When asked about Puri, regarded as one of the most revered villains in Hindi cinema, Ford shared fond memories of working with the late Indian actor. “He was a wonderful person, a very charming man. (He was) nothing like the character that he played in our film. Very sophisticated. I really admired him and enjoyed working with him. We had a good time together. And yes, I remember when he passed,” Ford, 80, said in a virtual roundtable interview.
Puri passed away in 2005. Though known primarily for his negative roles in hit films like ‘Mr India’, ‘Vishwatma’ and ‘Tridev,’ Puri also left a lasting impression in movies such as ‘Mandi,’ ‘Pardes’ and ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.’
In his autobiography ‘The Act of Life,’ Puri revealed that he was initially disinterested in the part of Mola Ram. Also, ‘Temple of Doom’ didn’t release in India and the media at home criticised Puri and actor Roshan Seth for being “anti-national” for appearing in the film.