Om Puri’s ex-wife Seema Kapoor reveals the actor’s final years were ‘pathetic, tragic and heartbreaking’: ‘He cleaned dishes in a dhaba’ |

Seema Kapoor, the ex-wife of late actor Om Puri, opened up about their troubled past and his painful final years. Married from 1991 to 1993, they parted ways when Om admitted he had fallen for someone else. Years later, they reconnected as he battled health issues and faced legal troubles with his second wife.
Om Puri’s Early Struggles and Resilience
Seema shared that Om had apologised for his past mistakes, and she forgave him. She reflected with pain that despite everything, he didn’t deserve the suffering or the humiliation he went through toward the end. “He was a good man,” she said, “not someone who should have been treated like a criminal.”Reconnecting and Forgiving the Past
In an interview with Galatta India, Seema said that the last 10 years of Om Puri’s life were very painful, and he didn’t deserve that kind of end. She shared how he had worked very hard all his life and never gave up on his values.
Legal Troubles and Health Struggles
She further recalled how tough his early years were—he had no support, rode a bicycle to school, and even washed dishes at a roadside eatery. When he got into FTII, someone had promised to pay his fees but backed out at the last minute. Still, Om didn’t give up and went on to become a respected actor, even internationally.

Seema’s Compassion for Om Puri
Seema said it wouldn’t be right to tarnish Om Puri’s name just because of what happened between them. “He’s not here to speak for himself,” she said. Seema shared that she never spoke publicly about their issues and quietly walked away from the relationship. Later, when Om apologised, she forgave him. “It takes a big heart to say sorry,” she added. She also revealed that Om suffered a paralytic attack during his second marriage, and that’s when he reached out to her and tried to make things right.
His ex-wife recalled the tough legal troubles Om Puri faced in his final years. She said, “After he got better, he told me he felt insecure about how he’d manage in his old age because no one was really looking after him.” Seema added that her brother, Annu Kapoor, had warned her to be cautious, saying Om might just want someone to care for him like a nurse. She shared that Om’s health struggles led to depression, and he had to take medication to cope.

Kapoor emphasized that Om Puri wasn’t a manipulative person. “He deserves sympathy, not criticism,” she said. She described the last 10 years of his life as tragic and heartbreaking, adding, “He was dragged to court and forced to be around murderers and rapists. Just imagine what he must have endured.”