In 1982, while shooting an action sequence with Amitabh Bachchan for Coolie, actor Puneet Issar accidently punched the megastar, leaving him critically injured. After this incident, Issar found himself facing immense public scrutiny and struggling for work.
Who is Puneet Issar?
Puneet Issar is an Indian actor, writer, director, producer and dialect coach best known for playing Duryodhana in the 1988–1990 television series Mahabharat. He debuted in Hindi cinema as an antagonist in the 1983 film Coolie, where he nearly fatally injured co-star Amitabh Bachchan.
How Coolie accident impacted Puneet Issar's career
More than four decades later, the actor opened up about how the accident changed his career. In an interview with Amit Bhatia on his channel, Issar recalled the six years he spent struggling to get the roles he wanted.
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Puneet Issar said, "I am a firm believer that whatever happens, happens for the good. Unfortunately, that incident happened. I didn't get work for six years after that, but I became world famous."
"People started knowing me as the man who almost killed Amitabh Bachchan. It was just an accident. I never did it intentionally. Amitji is a megastar and I am his huge fan," he further added.
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Issar called the phase a destiny, revealing that he didn't get the kind of roles he wanted. "I was dropped out of some films, but I don't blame anybody. That was my destiny; it made me stronger," he added.
What happened to Amitabh Bachchan on Coolie set?
The accident occurred in Bengaluru on the set of Manmohan Desai’s Coolie when a mistimed fight stunt with Puneet Issar left Amitabh Bachchan with a ruptured abdomen.
Rushed into emergency care and later transferred to Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital, Bachchan underwent multiple surgeries and was even briefly declared clinically dead before doctors revived him—a harrowing ordeal he later recounted in his blog.
When Mahabharat changed the course of Puneet Issar's career
Puneet said, "I got Mahabharata. I became known as dusht Duryodhan. And I wanted to play that character. BR Chopra sahab wanted me to play Bheem. He and his colleague were shocked to find out when I said I wanted to audition for the role of Duryodhan. But I insisted that I wanted to play Duryodhan. People related to that character so much."
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Playing Duryodhan became Puneet Issar’s career-defining triumph—cementing his legacy on Indian television and finally allowing his talent to outshine the shadow of the Coolie controversy.
FAQs
Is the real accident featuring Amitabh Bachchan and Puneet Issar shown in Coolie?
Yes. In a rare move in Indian cinema history, director Manmohan Desai kept the real accident shot in the film.
How did the Coolie accident change the movie's ending?
Originally, Bachchan's character Iqbal was supposed to die at the end of the film. Out of respect for the massive nationwide prayers, director Manmohan Desai changed the script so that Iqbal survives.