Sonic Authority and Actor Training: Amrish Puri and the Call for a Multicultural Vocal Pedagogy

This article argues for a rethinking of actor voice training that is culturally multimodal, situated, and attentive to the symbolic power of sound. Using the celebrated Indian actor Amrish Puri (1932–2005) as an exemplar, it explores how vocal authority operates across social, linguistic, and cinematic contexts. Puri's commanding baritone, central to Bollywood villainy from the 1970s to the 1990s, provides a case study for how voice can embody ideology, negotiate cultural hierarchies, and generate affect beyond textual meaning. Drawing on performance studies, South Asian cinema scholarship, and voice-training methodologies, the article proposes a pedagogical framework that integrates anatomical technique with cultural literacy, enabling actors to cultivate voices that are not only technically proficient but socially resonant.