MUMBAI: Veteran Bollywood actor Pran, who played the dreaded villain and lovable character with elan in hits like ‘Milan’, ‘Madhumati’, ‘Bobby’, ‘Zanjeer’ and ‘Ram Aur Shyam’, passed away at a suburban hospital last week at the age of 93.
Bollywood mourned the legendary actor hailing him as an icon and a “giant pillar” of Indian cinema who shaped the lives of many stars.
As condolences poured in from the young and old in the film industry, veteran actors Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan recalled their favorite memories of their association with Bollywood’s favorite villain.
Bachchan, who shared screen space with Pran in many films, said people like the 93-year-old stalwart don’t come anymore.
“A gentleman of the finest order, an admirable colleague, a thorough professional, a master of disguise in the characters he played, a delightful companion after ‘office hours’ and a considerate human” is how Bachchan remembered Pran.
The two acting stalwarts worked together in Bachchan’s first hit “Zanjeer”,”Amar Akbar Anthony”, “Kasauti”, “Majboor”, “Don”, “Kaalia”, “Naseeb”, “Nastik”, “Sharaabi”, “Andha Kanoon”, “Inquilab” and “Mrityudaata”.
“Pran Saheb….! Another stalwart leaves us, and this massive and imposing Film Industry edifice, tottering by the removal of the giant pillars that held it up, suffers another deathly blow…
“What shall remain thankfully, shall be the immense volume of documented work that they leave behind, a work that has been labored sweated and bloodied over years and years of harsh and severe commitment! We don’t make the likes of them anymore…,” Bachchan wrote on his blog.
Dilip Kumar, who worked with Pran in films like “Madhumati”, “Ram Aur Shyam” and “Azad”, recalled how Pran braved bad weather to attend his wedding with Saira Banu.
“My dear friend Pran liked to talk to me on the phone till recently. Saira and I visited him whenever we could. We had our Punjabi jokes, bringing back memories of the great times we shared as co-stars. He was a through gentleman,” Dilip wrote on Twitter while remembering his former co-star and friend.
“I can never forget how Pran managed to come to my marriage, braving bad weather in Srinagar where he was shooting… He took a flight to Delhi and then to Bombay and reached by evening, in time to hug me before the nikah ceremony,” the thespian added.
ACTOR AND A GENTLEMAN
Superstar Shah Rukh Khan tweeted, “Why do icons who shaped our lives and emotions have to go away? You will sir, remain etched in our hearts. Allah bless your soul Pran Sahib.”
In his tribute, Abhishek Bachchan wrote, “Thank you for the memories Pran Saab. You will live forever in our hearts. RIP.”
Actress Sridevi said the Bollywood legend would be missed by everyone.
Anupam Kher tweeted: “Final curtain call for one of the most loved actors of Indian cinema. An actor and a gentleman. Pran Saab – We will miss you and your warmth. RIP.”
Madhuri Dixit wrote: “Another legend Pran Saahab leaves us. RIP.”
Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt said Pran will remain in the hearts of millions of people who grew up watching his films.
Soha Ali Khan tweeted, “Pran sahib RIP. We have lost another legend but his memory and massive impact will live on. I pray he is at peace.”
Gul Panag wrote, “RIP Pran Sa’ab. What a life! What an innings!”
Actor Arjun Rampal, who played Pran’s role in “Don” remake, tweeted, “RIP Pran Saab, you immortalized so many characters, was fortunate to play one of them. You live in my heart forever.”
POWERFUL ROLES
The veteran actor, who had a six-decade-long career that saw him performing in over 400 films, was conferred the country’s highest cinema honor – Dada Saheb Phalke award – in April.
Pran left his imprint as a villain with powerful roles in films like Kashmir ki Kali, Khandaan, Aurat, Bari Behen, Jis Desh Men Ganga Behti Hai, Half Ticket, Upkar, Purab Aur Paschim, Don ‘Karz’ and ‘Naseeb’.
Born on February 12 in 1920 in old Delhi, Pran Krishan Sikand was educated at places like Kapurthala, Unnao, Meerut, Dehradun and Rampur as his father Lala Kewal Krishan Sikand was in government service.
Prior to his film career, the actor wanted to become a professional photographer and worked as an apprentice with a company.
This job took him to Shimla, where he played the role of Sita in a local staging of ‘Ramlila’. He happened to meet writer, Wali Mohammad Wali, who worked for producer Dalsukh M. Pancholi in Lahore. This eventually led to Pran’s entry in the film industry.
After Partition, Pran came to Mumbai with his wife Shukla and sons Arvind and Sunil but found it difficult to get work as an actor in the city of dreams.
Pran had almost given hope when writer Saadat Hasan Manto helped him get a role in Dev Anand starrer ‘Ziddi’ in 1948 which revived his career.
He will be forever remembered for bringing villains on par with the heroes, ruling the industry from 1969 to 1982. He commanded equal money and respect for his negative characters in ‘Madhumati’, ‘Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai’, ‘Ram Aur Shyam’ and ‘Devdas’.
The actor’s baritone and good looks helped him bring charm to his villainy which was very unique to Pran. Such was the magic of his onscreen roles that parents stopped naming their children ‘Pran’ at the height of his fame.
His chameleon-like ability helped Pran transform himself from one of the most hated onscreen villains to one of the most beloved character actors – be it the ‘Mangal chacha’ in ‘Upkar’, Sher Khan of opposite Amitabh Bachchan in ‘Zanjeer’ or the discipline-loving but soft-hearted grandfather in Gulzar’s ‘Parichay’.
FEARED AND DREADED
Recalling the magic of Pran, Amitabh Bachchan in a foreword to Pran’s biography wrote, “Onscreen villainy is a thankless job which Pran Saab accepted and carried out with such a degree of perfection that he became the actor the entire nation loved to hate.
“That indeed was the measure of his extraordinary success. Parents did not want their children to meet him.
Occasionally, he would even be feared and dreaded at public gatherings. Evidently, he came to terms with that, bemused with the power of cinema to influence the audience in a way that sketches only a thin line between the real and the reel.”
Pran will be forever remembered for bringing villains on par with the heroes, ruling the industry from 1969 to 1982. He commanded equal money and respect for his negative characters in ‘Madhumati’, ‘Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai’, ‘Ram Aur Shyam’ and ‘Devdas’.
The actor’s baritone and good looks helped him bring charm to his villainy which was very unique to Pran.
His chameleon-like ability helped Pran transform himself from one of the most hated onscreen villains to one of the most beloved character actors – be it the ‘Mangal chacha’ in ‘Upkar’, Sher Khan of opposite Amitabh Bachchan in ‘Zanjeer’ or the discipline-loving but soft-hearted grandfather in Gulzar’s ‘Parichay’.
His contribution in comedy movies also didn’t go unnoticed with some side-splitting performances in ‘Sadhu Aur Shaitaan’, ‘Chham Chama Chham’, ‘Half Ticket’ and ‘Bewaqoof’ and others.
It was reported that in the 70s Pran was among the highest paid actors in Indian cinema, ahead of his co-stars like Amitabh Bachchan and Vinod Khanna.
Pran married Shukla Ahluwalia in 1945 and has two sons, Arvind and Sunil and a daughter, Pinky. -PTI
