Patrick Swayze’s love for India and Mother Teresa

The dancing star of ‘Dirty Dancing’ and Max Lowe of ‘City of Joy’, Patrick Swayze did stir passions with his dance antics and emotional performances but what many don’t know of, is his passion and love for India, as a place and its people. Swayze, who left for the heavenly abode on Monday after a long battle with pancreatic cancer, has left many in mourning. Om Puri shared a close friendship with Patrick.

Spicezee Bureau

Mumbai: The dancing star of ‘Dirty Dancing’ and Max Lowe of ‘City of Joy’, Patrick Swayze did stir passions with his dance antics and emotional performances but what many don’t know of, is his passion and love for India, as a place and its people.Swayze, who left for the heavenly abode on Monday after a long battle with pancreatic cancer, has left many in mourning. Actor Om Puri, who shared a close friendship with Patrick Swayze after working with him in 1991 `City of Joy`, is deeply saddened by the Hollywood star`s death and remembers him as ‘humble and simple’ person. "Om is deeply hurt over his demise as their friendship went back a long way. Patrick always spoke of his love for India and Mother Teresa," says his wife Nandita. "In fact, Patrick has written the foreword to Om`s biography I am writing and we were planning to invite him at the release function in New York in November," she said. "Patrick`s first reaction on seeing Om on the sets of `The City of Joy` in 1991 was that of intimidation. He reminded the `Dirty Dancing` star of his father," Nandita said. ‘City of Joy’ was directed by Roland Joffe and is based on a novel by Dominique Lapierre and starred Swayze as Max Lowe, a disillusioned surgeon who travels to India after a young patient dies on the operating table. The film also featured Puri as Hasari Pal, a farmer who moves to Kolkata with his wife (Shabana Azmi) and three children in search of a better life.