Tabu & Om Puri Movies Together List — 5 Films
Complete Movies List & Collaboration History
Last updated: 2026-06-02 · Data sources: Wikipedia, TMDB
Tabu and Om Puri appeared together in 5 Hindi films between 1996 and 2004. Their highest-rated collaboration was Maqbool (2004 — 7.4/10). Films span Maachis (1996) through Maqbool (2004).
The Tabu & Om Puri partnership
They saved their best for last — Maqbool (7.4/10) came 8 years in. Between 1996 and 2004, they barely worked apart — 5 films in 8 years. From Maachis (1996) to Maqbool (2004).
The spanned closed with Maqbool in 2004. Maqbool is the one most viewers reach for.
The shape of the work
The 2000s account for 60% of everything they made together. The 1990s belonged to Chachi 420; the 2000s to Maqbool. Tabu acted in every film; Om Puri acted in all of them. Strictly Hindi cinema — they never crossed industries together.
Partnership facts
- Tabu was just 24 when she played Om Puri's wife in Maachis (1996). She later said she was terrified of him on set — until he cracked a joke about her nervousness and broke the ice.
- In Chachi 420 (1997), Om Puri played Tabu's father-in-law. Their scenes together are the only ones where the film's slapstick actually lands — because Puri kept feeding Tabu straight lines, letting her deadpan reactions do the comedy.
- On Maqbool (2004), Om Puri told Tabu before every take: 'Don't act with me. Just react.' That instruction unlocked her most internal performance — she barely moves her face while he rages, and you see her thinking in real time.
- After Maachis wrapped, Om Puri started calling Tabu 'beti' (daughter) on set. She called him 'Om-ji.' That dynamic never changed — even when they played husband-wife in Maachis and then father-in-law/daughter-in-law in Chachi 420.
- Tabu once said: 'Om Puri taught me that the best acting is listening. He would listen to me in a scene like I was the only person in the world.'
5 films across 2 decades
The 1990s accounted for 2 films, averaging 5.2/10.
The 2000s brought 3 films together, anchored by Maqbool (7.4/10).
- Chachi 420
- Maachis
- Maqbool
- Hera Pheri
The partnership in numbers
Partnership Pattern
5 films across 8 years represents consistent collaboration.
Language Distribution
Linguistic diversity: 1 language, with Hindi being their primary medium.
Where each was in their career
When they first worked together, Tabu had 6 films behind them; Om Puri had 49. After Maqbool, Om Puri kept going for 63 more films; Tabu stepped back.
Before Maachis, Tabu had starred in 6 films, including Vijaypath (1994) and Sisindri (1995).
After Maqbool, Tabu went on to appear in 36 more films, including Drishyam 2 (2022) and Talvar (2015).
Before Maachis, Om Puri had starred in 49 films, including Sparsh (1980) and Aakrosh (1980).
After Maqbool, Om Puri went on to appear in 63 more films, including Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015) and Road to Sangam (2010).
Collaboration Journey
A chronological view of Tabu & Om Puri's professional partnership
Actors and musicians who worked on most of their films
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