Dadu is the God whom I pray to: Grandson Vardhan pays ode to Amrish Puri

Amrish Puri may have met his maker long ago, but Bollywood may still not be over it. From an overprotective father in DDLJ to the hair-flicking lawyer in Damini, Puri has left the film industry with a legacy that cannot be re-written. And taking the tradition ahead, his grandson Vardhan Puri is gearing up for a Bollywood launch.

Vardhan will be seen in a yet-untitled romantic-thriller produced by Jayantilal Gada, which is expected to roll in September. The debutant has earlier assisted Habib Faisal on Ishaqzaade and Daawat-e-Ishq, and Manish Sharma on Shuddh Desi Romance. He’s not that new to the hustle of filmmaking you see.

“I was supposed to start off with a period-drama with Jayanti bhai, but for some reason that didn’t work out. He approached me later for this film which I loved and immediately gave my nod to. It’s a performance-oriented role and in terms of treatment it will be in a space similar to (Hollywood director David Fincher’s psychological thriller) Gone Girl’s,” Vardhan informed, adding that he is currently attending workshops and undergoing training for the role. The director and leading lady in the film are yet to be finalised.

Over the years, Vardhan has been a part of over 90 plays and learnt acting since the age of five from his grandfather’s mentor, National Award-winning actor filmmaker-writer Satyadev Dubey.

However, Vardhan, who identifies as a fan of Charlie Chaplin, Kishore Kumar and Puri Sr, had found his first teacher in his grandfather. “Dadu is the God whom I pray to. I was so close to him that I would sleep between him and my grandmother. When he passed away, for me it was like losing the protective cover of an umbrella. It was then, that I decided that if I do something, it would be for my grandfather and this film is an ode to him.”

 “We would watch films of Dilip Kumar saab, Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, and also binge on classics like The Godfather and The Shawshank Redemption. Sometimes, I also used to sit with him for reading sessions when filmmakers came home. His films with Shyam Benegal sir and Govind Nihalani sir top my list of all-time favourites. I really miss him”, he added.