'Nobody can play Om Puri better than me'

Actor Manoj Bajpayee believes that nobody can play Om Puri better than him if a biopic on the late actor is ever made.

"I think nobody can play Om-ji better than me because I knew him very closely. I came for his prayer meet but still I am smiling because if you remember him, you can't be upset. He was such a joyful character. I remember him with loads of happiness," Manoj said here at a meet to pay tribute to Om Puri who died on January 6.

Bajpayee, who is often regarded as a method actor and known for his unconventional roles in films, said, "Om Puri ji was one of the reasons for doing the kind of acting I am known for. He helped us to conceive the dream... Those who come from small towns. He showed us that path and achieved the top (success) which we dreamt of. His behaviour was same and even with everybody, whether the person was a spot boy or a millionaire," Manoj recalled.