LAHORE: Indian actor Om Puri has underlined the need to ease visa policy between India and Pakistan.

He was talking to the media at the Lahore Press Club here on Sunday.

Mr Puri said peoples of both the countries wanted to interact with each other and the governments should facilitate them in this regard. Giving the example of Europe, he said the Berlin Wall had been demolished and the whole Europe had become one but Pakistani and Indian peoples were still facing problems in getting visas.

Mentioning the role of General Ziaul Haq that he played in Hollywood film Charlie Wilson's War, Om Puri said that he had never tried to copy the character but always put effort to get to the spirit of the character.

Before playing General Zia’s character he had consulted Indian film actor and politician Shatrughan Sinha, he said, adding that he had told the producer that one of Zia’s teeth was that of gold, therefore a special gold teeth was manufactured for that role. “I still have that gold tooth with me,” he said.

The Indian actor said he would love to work in a Pakistani movie, if offered, but his preference would always been such a film which should be close to the lives of Pakistani and Indian peoples.

He revealed that among all his roles, the one he played in the movie ‘Ardh Satya’ was close to his heart because after doing that film, he had shifted to his own apartment from a rented house.

Puri said the dialogues of one of his Punjabi films ‘Chan Pardesi’ won great popularity among the masses.

“ I, at my home, celebrate all occasions, be it Eid, Christmas, Diwali or Baisakhi so that my children should not remain narrow-minded.”

Mentioning Amitabh Bachchan and his acting skills, Om Puri said Bachchan still had the kind of energy which was not found even in young artistes. In a lighter vein, he said that if he would quit acting he knew other means to earn living such as farming and cooking.

Regarding a question about elections in India, he said the decision in this regard was to be taken by the Indian people who were unhappy over the efforts to promote Rahul Gandhi as a candidate for premiership.

The Aam Aadmi Party had surprised all in India by taking 27 seats without any support, he said.

To a question about Indian Gujrat, Om Puri said the Muslims were now happy in Gujrat and progressing and Hindu Muslims riots did take place but for the last 15 years no such incident was reported.

Om Puri also had a meeting with PML-Q President Ch Shujaat Hussain and Pervaiz Elahi.