And Pran – The most loved bad man of Indian cinema

Pran may be remembered for essaying the roles of 'bad man' on the silver screen – but in real life, he was a perfect gentleman and a man of integrity, courage, knowledge and resolve. In Bollywood, he was the most loved villain. A man who believed in everlasting friendships, he was also a die-hard football fan. He was also vocal against the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi.

Born on February 12, 1920, the legendary Pran, passed away on July 12, 2013.

February 12, 2020 marks his 100th birth anniversary.

In at least 250 of the 350 movies that he acted in, his was the last name in the cast portion of the credits, with the words '...and Pran' and sometimes '..above all Pran' – and this showed his stature as an excellent and gifted actor and a fine person.

Pran had acted in several hit movies – spanning over six decades - and starred with several generations of top actors and actresses.

A winner of several awards including the coveted Dadasaheb Phalke Award, he had acted in several hit movies - Khandaan (1942), Pilpili Saheb (1954), Halaku (1956), Aurat (1967 film), Dharma (1973), Jangal Mein Mangal (1972), Gaddar (1973) and Ek Kunwari Ek Kunwara (1973). His pivotal roles in the films such as Bari Behen (1949), Bahar (1951), Azaad (1955), Jis Desh Men Ganga Behti Hai (1960), Half Ticket (1962), Upkar (1967) and Purab Aur Paschim, Aurat (1967), Ansoo Ban Gaye Phool, Kab? Kyoon? Aur Kahan?, Johny Mera Naam (1970), Victoria No. 203, Zanjeer (1973), Chori Mera Kaam (1975), Hatyara (1977), Chor Ke Ghar Chor (1978), Don (1978), Maan Gaye Ustaad (1981) and Duniya (1984).

Born Pran Kishore Sikand to a wealthy Punjabi family on February 12,1920 in Delhi, he was academically gifted, especially in mathematics. After matriculation, he wanted to become a photographer. His job took him first to Simla, where he played Sita to Madan Puri's Ram in the local staging of 'Ramlila'.

A chance meeting with the writer, Wali Mohammad Wali, who worked for Dalsukh Pancholi, at a shop in Hira Mandi, Lahore, led to Pran winning his first role as a villain in Dalsukh Pancholi's Punjabi film Yamla Jat (1940), a big hit in that year. After Partition in 1947, he came to Mumbai (then Bombay) to try his luck in films.

Eight months later, in 1948, he got a chance to start all over again, with the help of writer Saadat Hasan Manto and actor Shyam, he got a role in the Bombay Talkies film, Ziddi which had Dev Anand and Kamini Kaushal as leads and directed by Shaheed Latif. This launched his career in Bombay. This film was also Dev Anand's big break as a hero, and there was no turning back for Pran thereafter. The film Ziddi also had the first song by Kishore Kumar – and their friendship in Bollywood circles was a known fact. As a villain, post-independence, his first successful movie was Badi Behan (1949). Pran was regularly offered the role of the main villain or negative character in the films with Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand and Raj Kapoor as the lead hero in the 1950s and 60s.

Pran's performance as the negative character was very much appreciated in Dilip Kumar starrers like Azaad, Madhumati, Devdas, Dil Diya Dard Liya, Ram Aur Shyam and Aadmi and films with Dev Anand as the lead man like Ziddi (1948), Munimji (1955), Amar Deep (1958), Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai (1961) and with Raj Kapoor in Aah, Chori Chori, Jagte Raho, Chhalia, Jis Desh Men Ganga Behti Hai, Dil Hi Toh Hai. Films with him as the lead hero, Pilpili Saheb and then Halaku in 1956, were big hits too. Pran proved his versatility in the '50s by enacting as the typical swashbuckling pirate in Sindbad the Sailor ( 1952) and Daughter of Sindbad (1958)and acting in action-packed thrillers like Azad (1955); historicals such as Aan (1952) and Raj Tilak (1958); social themes such as Baradari (1955) and light romances like Munimji (1955) and Asha (1957).

Pran always had a significant role in comedy films starring Kishore Kumar and Mehmood Ali in the lead roles. Pran's memorable collaborations with Mehmood include Sadhu Aur Shaitaan, Lakhon Me Ek and the eight memorable films of Kishore Kumar and Pran together are Pehli Jhalak, Naya Andaz, Aasha, Bewaqoof, Ek Raaz, Jaal Saz, Half Ticket and Man-Mauji.

In the 1970s, Pran was offered the role of a leading man in films like Dharma (1973), Ek Kunwari Ek Kunwara, Jangal Mein Mangal, Rahu Ketu. Since the fifties through the late eighties, Pran was often cast with Ashok Kumar beginning with Afsana in 1951, to play either the role of friends, around whom the story revolved, in films like Adhikar, Victoria No. 203, Chori Mera Kaam, Chor Ke Ghar Chor, Apna Khoon, Aap Ke Deewane, Maan Gaye Ustaad and Raja Aur Rana or as characters at loggerheads in films like Inspector(1956), Lakeeren (1954), Mr. X (1957), Pooja Ke Phool, Purab Aur Paschim, Naya Zamana and Aansoo Ban Gaye Phool.

Pran was at the peak of his career in 1969-1982, when he was paid more than his co-stars who played the lead hero like Vinod Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan, Shatrughan Sinha, Navin Nishchol, Randhir Kapoor and Rishi Kapoor. Among supporting actors, Pran remained the highest paid in Hindi cinema from 1969-1982.

Ashok Kumar and Pran remain the only male actors in Hindi cinema to have tasted many box office success throughout their active career without any dip or low phase in their long career. Ashok Kumar had box-office success from the 1930's till 1990's and Pran was part of hits in every decade from 1940's till 1997 (Yamla Jat in 1940 to Lav Kush in 1997).