‘Om Puri betrayed my sister, ruined her life’: Annu Kapoor on his sister’s painful marriage, messy divorce

Kapoor was referring to his sister, Seema Kapoor, who was briefly married to Puri in the early 1990s. Their marriage ended within months after Seema discovered his relationship with another woman. They reconnected in his final years, after he suffered health concerns.

‘My sister’s life was ruined’

Opening up about his anger at the time, Kapoor said, “He would have gone 10 years earlier, it was my sister who took care of him. When your body became weak and fragile, then you came back. I was also angry and upset with my sister,” he said.

Despite the bitterness of the past, Kapoor said that he holds no hatred today. “Today Om Puri saab is not there, his son is there, even today I pray to God for his son and for his ex wife Nandita. I have no enmity towards anyone, but there is regret that my sister Seema Kapoor’s life was ruined, she has no support.”

He also admitted that speaking in detail about the episode is still difficult for him. “If I start telling those stories, it will become messy, because the brother inside me will come out.”

Recalling his personal dynamic with Puri, Kapoor added, “Om Puri was also very scared of me, because I speak bluntly. I am not afraid. I was helpless, I could not do anything.”

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About Seema Kapoor and Om Puri’s relationship

Seema, the sister of Annu Kapoor, was married to Puri after knowing him for over a decade. They tied the knot in 1991, but the marriage lasted only around eight months. Seema was three months pregnant when Puri sought a divorce, having developed a relationship with journalist Nandita, whom he later married.

Trouble began early in the marriage when Seema discovered his involvement with Nandita. The revelation led to repeated conflicts, and eventually, she chose to leave while pregnant, hoping it might prompt him to reconsider. That did not happen. The situation deeply angered her brothers, Annu Kapoor and Ranjit Kapoor, who even considered taking legal action to seek justice for her.

In her earlier interviews, Seema shared that the separation was emotionally and legally draining. She alleged that Puri not only betrayed her but also refused to acknowledge the child she was carrying, at one point accusing her of adultery. Despite financial struggles, her family stood firmly by her side—so much so that they were willing to sell jewellery and property to support her legal fight. Annu Kapoor even borrowed Rs 5,000 from filmmaker Yash Chopra during that time.

The marriage ultimately ended, and Seema later revealed that the child did not survive. She also recalled refusing Rs 25,000 that Puri had sent through a secretary as compensation. Puri went on to marry Nandita in 1993, and they had a son together; the couple later divorced in 2013. Om Puri died in 2017. During his final years, he called up Seema Kapoor and apologised.

Seema and Puri reconnected during final phase of his life

Years later, however, Seema reconnected with Puri during the final phase of his life, after he apologised for his past actions. She chose to forgive him, even as she acknowledged the pain of what had happened.

“He deserves sympathy, not criticism. What he went through in the final 10 years of his life was pathetic, tragic, heartbreaking. I chose to forgive him when he apologised. It takes a large heart to apologise. If I didn’t slander him then, why should I slander him now,” she told Galatta India in an earlier interview.

She added, “When he recovered, he told me that he was insecure about how he’d survive his twilight years, because he wasn’t being taken care of. My brother, Annu Kapoor, warned me to be careful, and that he was only looking for someone to look after him like a nurse. Because of his poor health, he became depressed, and he would take pills for it.”

This article reflects on personal family history and the emotional impact of past relationships. The views expressed are based on personal accounts and are intended for informational and entertainment purposes.