Actor Vardhaan Puri has opened up about a lesser-known dimension of his grandfather and legendary actor Amrish Puri's life — his fierce patriotism and, reportedly, a role in India's freedom movement that the family has yet to fully disclose publicly. The remarks, made ahead of Independence Day on 14 August, offer a rare personal portrait of one of Hindi cinema's most iconic figures beyond the screen.

A Patriot Before an Actor

Amrish Puri was born during British rule and harboured a deep opposition to the idea of India being governed by a foreign power. According to Vardhaan, his grandfather played a significant, if still privately held, role in the freedom movement — details he hopes to share publicly at an appropriate time.

'My grandfather was born at a time when India was still under British rule. He was deeply opposed to the idea of our country being ruled by someone else, and there is a lesser-known chapter of his life in which he had a significant role to play in the freedom movement. It is something I hope to speak about publicly at the right time in the future. So, while the world knows him as one of India's greatest actors, I personally also look at him as someone who, in his own way, was a freedom fighter,' Vardhaan said.

Love for India Ran Deeper Than Cinema

Vardhaan described his grandfather's love for India as something more personal and profound than even his celebrated acting career. He recalled how Amrish Puri would feel a genuine emotional weight whenever he portrayed characters who opposed or adversarially represented India on screen.

'He loved India to bits. Whenever he played a negative character who represented an adversarial nation or portrayed someone who stood against India, he would feel it very deeply. For him, acting was his passion and his life's work, but his love for India was something far greater and far more sacred,' Vardhaan said.

Independence Day Rituals at Home

Vardhaan shared vivid memories of how Independence Day and Republic Day were observed in the Puri household. His grandparents would wake early, sit before the television to watch the celebrations in Delhi, and stand for long stretches, visibly moved.

'Their eyes would often be moist with emotion, and they would constantly say, Bharat Mata Ki Jai, Vande Mataram, and Jai Hind. Patriotism was not something we spoke about occasionally; it was something that was deeply embedded in the DNA of our family,' he recalled.

From Punjab to Mumbai: A Journey Rooted in Pride

Vardhaan also contextualised his grandfather's patriotism within his personal journey — from Punjab to Himachal Pradesh, then to Delhi, and finally to Mumbai. Despite modest material circumstances early in life, Vardhaan said the family's defining inheritance was an immense sense of national pride.

'For them, India was not merely the place they lived in; it was a part of who they were. That sense of pride, patriotism, and love for the country is perhaps one of the greatest things my grandparents passed down to us,' he added.

Amrish Puri, who appeared in over 450 films across a career spanning decades, passed away on 12 January 2005. His grandson's account adds a new layer to a legacy already celebrated for its cinematic range — suggesting that behind the iconic villain roles was a man whose deepest loyalties lay with his country.