#Pran #BirthAnniversary  #Tribute 

"...and Pran". Yeah! This is the name of Pran's biography. And you know why?! In his career span of 6 decades and about 400 films, he played villainous characters in almost 350 films. And in 250 films out of this 350, he had his name at the end of credits with the words "...and Pran" and sometimes, "...above all, Pran"!!!    

The one and only, the legendary, the very versatile Pran. A humble most human being and a horrific most villain of Bollywood. The highest paid character actor of Hindi movies from 1969 to 1982. In 70s, only Rajesh Khanna was the one who was paid more than Pran, and during 50s and 60s just Dev Anand, Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor were the actors who were paid more than Pran! And why not?!! Pran was a horror personified! After watching him torturing Dilip Kumar in Ram aur Shyam, people hated him so much that for many years, people refrained to name their children 'Pran'! 

                                           

And the same Pran when lived the role of a veteran war hero, Malang chacha in Manoj Kumar's Upkar, people adored him to the core.


 

Pran was born in a wealthy Punjabi family. Due to transferable job of his father, Pran has received his education at various places like Dehradun, Kapurthala, Meerut, Unnao and Rampur. Despite being bright in academics, Pran wanted to become a still photographer, but destiny had already decided something much greater for him. 

Katha of Pran's career was started with Ramayana only!  Pran traveled to Shimla to play the role of  Sita in a local staging of Ramleela! Year was 1940, when director Dalsukh M. Pancholi saw him on a pan cabin and offered him his first role in a Punjabi movie named 'Yamla Jat'. After performing some small roles in 2/3 movies, Pran received his first Hindi movie Khandan, again from Dalsukh Pancholi wherein he was casted as a romantic hero opposite Noor Jahan. And after that Pran worked in total 22 movies in Lahore before partition. 

14th August 1947 was the day when Pran left Lahore and arrived Mumbai with his wife Shukla and his 1 year old son Arvind. Initial days in Mumbai were quite struggling. Pran had to work in Dalmer hotel in Marine Drive in order to arrange bread and butter for the family. Writer Saadat Hasan manto and actor Shyam then came to help this excellent actor, who was just waiting for a chance to show his calibre to the cine world. And he received that chance from Bombay Talkies for film Ziddi directed by Shahid Latif. Story was written by an eminent urdu literator Ismat Chughtai. Pran played villain against Dev Anand and Kamini Kaushal in that film. Ziddi proved itself as a take off for both Dev Anand and Pran's career. With this film, started one of the most mellifluous and awesome partnerships in the world of hindi film music - Lata Mangeshkar & Kishore Kumar. Also Kishore kumar debuted as a playback singer for Dev Anand with film Ziddi only. Success of Ziddi was followed by Badi behan and Pran shined out as an established villain by 50s. 

During 50s and 60s, Pran has played numerous villainous characters against the magical trio of Bollywood Dev Anand, Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor. Movies like Azad, Devdas, Madhumati, Ram Aur Shyam, Aadmi and Dil Diya Dard Liya with Dilip Kumar, Ziddi, Munimji, Amardeep and Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai with Dev Anand and Chori Chori, Jagte Raho, Chaliya and Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai with Raj Kapoor were some of his most celebrated works. 

Pran was never a method actor, but he had his very much own method of acting. He was the first villain of Hindi film industry who stood out stout against the greatest actors while playing villainous roles - be that tragedy King Dilip Kumar or comedy king Kishore Kumar. He looked damn butcherous while underplaying 'Raka' rubbing his fingers across his throat in Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai

             


and he seemed quite hilarious while dancing with 'O gujariya' and snatching her(!) wig in Half ticket. Sharing screen presence with the epitome of extempore Kishore Kumar and getting noticed glaringly!! How many could do this?! 

Pran was not at all a good dancer, but he looked so likable while swaying his thumbs singing 'Hum bolega to bologe ki bolta hai' and shaking his legs singing 'Daroo ki botal mein kahe paani bharta hai". Also, who can forget 'Sherkhan' in Zanjeer, for which Pran was given more amount than hero of the film - Amitabh Bachchan. 

Besides mannerism, Pran used to work on his make-up as well. He had an artist at home, who used to sketch the kind of look he wanted. Then, his make-up man and wig-maker used to work on the look. Movies like ‘Gumnaam,’ ‘Parvarish,’ ‘Zanjeer,’ ‘Don’ and ‘Shaheed’ are a few movies in which his character was recognised through his attire and styling. 

An outstanding career spanning 6 decades, immense love from mass and acclamation from critics,  4 Filmfare awards, Dada saheb falke award and third highest award of the nation, Padma Bhushan.  How rightly he is regarded as Villain of the millennium! 

Pran sahab breathed his last on 12th July, 2013 but "Pran" lives on..with all his scintillating and spine-chilling, bold, brazen yet breathtaking avtaars.