Flashback | A look back at life and work of the gentleman villain Pran

“When I think of Pran Saab his whole career appears to be unique and unmatched,” the great Irrfan Khan once said to me.   Now when I think back on the mighty Pran Kishan Sikand’s astonishing career I am astounded at his versatility. After making his debut as a leading man Pran ruled the box office as a villain for a good 45 years. In 1967 the visionary filmmaker-actor Manoj Kumar cast Pran in a sympathetic role as Malang Chachcha in    Upkar. After being hated for decades Pran was immediately accepted as a good man. He later played the good Samaritan in Adhikar(1971), Zanjeer(1973), and numerous other films while continuing to be the badman.   Shatrughan Sinha who also made that tricky switchover from villain to hero remembers canceling his trip to Patna to attend Pran’s funeral when he died on 12 July 2013. “There is no doubt Pranji was an institution. He has inspired generations of actors, including me. When I heard of his passing away I immediately canceled my trip to Patna to attend.” At the funeral, Shatrughan Sinha was dismayed to see the poor turn-out. “I saw very few people from the film industry. A man who gave 70 years of his life to the film industry deserved a much more hefty send-off.” Recalling Satyajit Ray’s condolence meeting at Mehboob Studios on the doyen’s death, Shatrughan Sinha says, “This was Satyajit Ray who brought renown to Indian cinema and the nation, the only Indian to win both the Oscar and the Bharat Ratna. And there was hardly anyone at the condolence meet. At Pranji’s funeral, I was sadly reminded of Mr. Ray’s condolence meet.” Shatrughan Sinha says he was greatly influenced by Pran. “I used to copy his hairstyle from Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai during my college days in Patna. Later I got the chance to work with Pranji in films like Ganga Teri Paani Amrit, Buniyaad, and Vishwanath. In Mere Apne I paid Pranji a tribute by copying that idiosyncrasy of his from Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai whereby he kept scratching his neck. Pranji did almost 400 films. Indian cinema is 100 years old, and he was there for 70 of those 100 years. Very few can equal that record. I’d say Pranji was a true achiever and a source of inspiration for generations of actors.” Raza Murad another actor who swung from bad to good says Pran was his role model “I especially liked Pran Saab as Kehar Singh in  Shaheed. He appears on screen as a ruthless illiterate short-tempered condemned prisoner who is unconcerned about the freedom struggle of fellow prisoners. Then watching the plight of freedom fighters he changes his heart. Before going to the gallows he expresses a desire to shake hands with a Shareef and like Bhagat Singh. Pran Saab performed this scene without a tear. Yet the audience could feel his emotions.” Raza Murad considers Pran an institution. “Pran Saab was a giant of an actor. Spine-chilling in his evil on screen he could create terror with his piercing gaze and booming voice. He dominated the screen for almost 60 years. No one could rival him. His contribution is unparalleled. His presence was an asset to every film. He didn’t belong to any camp. He didn’t go out of his way to please any producer. He was a loving, humorous, generous sports lover. He was punctually dedicated committed highly emotional, a true friend, and a bankable actor.” Badman Gulshan Grover admitted he owed his career to a large extent to Pran. “I learned so much from Pran Saab and by observing him personally. I’ve been fortunate not only to have received his guidance but also his appreciation. I was inspired by his professionalism, dedication, and his ability to stand out in every role. Pran Saab gave dignity, star value, and a position to the Bad Man in Bollywood. It is because of Pran Saab that actors like me could become stars and have a flourishing career by being bad. It’s a personal loss to me. He was like a parent. He provided me with encouragement, guidance, and validation.” When asked to name his favourite Pran performance Grover didn’t have to think hard. “  Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai. The nuances made the performance remarkably subtle. I am a mega-fan of Pran Saab’work and it’s difficult for me to pick one. I’ve had the rare honour of watching his films not only in the theatre but also on 30 VHS tapes of Pran Saab’s work and scenes. An overseas fan of Pran Saab had made these tapes for him and he gave me the rare honour of watching them.” Raj Babbar who started as the villain and then switched to playing heroes said Pran was a role model. “I have always been hugely inspired by Pran Saab’s personal and professional conduct. We worked together in  Durga  where I was struck by how softspoken Pran Saab was. When the camera was on his voice would transform into a boom. He played both black and white characters with equal aplomb. When he was a villain he was despicable for years and years. When he started doing positive roles he was equally effectual in what he did.Woh kehte hai na, ek kalaakar ka noor uske kaam mein jhalakta hai.When Pran Saab played villains he looked evil. When he was a good man in  Upkar, Zanjeer, Adhikar  he looked noble. His elaborate get-ups at a time when there were none of the comforts of airconditioned vanity vans were exemplary for actors like us. In that sweltering heat on location Pran Saab would sit with the beard, costumes, makeup, and accessories. Like Pran Saab, I too refused to let myself be slotted in any one image. Like Pran Saab, I’ve shuffled between black and white roles throughout my career. I have played the leading and the villain keeping in mind Pran Saab’s ability to cross over from one moral zone to another without tripping over.

Asha Parekh who worked with Pran in many films calls him one of the film industry’s pillars. “He’s played both the villain and the good Samaritan in my films with him. He was never shy of changing sides on screen. Contrary to his serious image Pran Saab was very entertaining on the sets. He would always have stories to tell and he would tell them in a very interesting way. But once the camera was on he was fully into his character. When Pran Saab played a villain he filled our hearts with terror. I remember as a child when I was working as a child actor in M V Raman’s  Asha  Pran Saab showed up. I hid behind the sofa. I was so scared of him! Later of course I did many films with him including  Mere Sanam, Jab Pyar Kissise Hota Hai, Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon.  He was a thorough gentleman and a very considerate co-star. Even if he had to twist my hand in a scene he would ask repeatedly if I was okay. He was extremely passionate about his work. I think the first film we worked together on was  Jab Pyar Kissise Hota Hai  in 1961. After that, we did innumerable films together including Manoj Kumar’s  Upkar  where he was transformed from a screen villain to an amazingly positive character. I used to run into Pran Saab in so many shootings that when he wasn’t around I’d miss him. Pran Saab was a wonderful human being, quite the opposite of the villains’ characters he played.” Waheeda Rehman shared detail about Pran that nobody knows. “I did quite a several films with Pran Saab, and he was always a thorough gentleman filled with interesting conversation. I looked forward to shooting with him. The one thing that I must tell you about Pran Saab that you probably don’t know is that he was very ticklish. Any hint of being tickled and he would start giggling. Every time I met him I’d put my fingers out pretending to tickle him and he would go. ‘No! No! Don’t you do that.’ “     Waheedaji recalled her first film with Pran Saab. “The first film we did together was  Dil Diya Dard Liya  and I was quite nervous, as he played such a terrible human being on screen. But he turned out to be a charming, jolly, and interesting human being. During those days there were no vanity vans and no airconditioned makeup rooms. So all of us would sit together and chat on the sets between shots. He would regale me with sher-o-shaayari. A very nice human being, a complete family man. No matter how late we packed up in the night he was the first to arrive on the sets the next morning looking fresh as though he had slept for a full 9 hours. I did many films with him like Ram Aur Shyam, Patthar Ke Sanam.”   Regrettably, Waheedaji and Pran did not meet socially. “Once we stopped working together we couldn’t meet much. But when my husband passed away in 2000 he had come to see me. My husband Shashi Rekhi was distantly related to Pran Saab. Pran Saab’s wife Shukla Bhabhi told me he had stopped going out anywhere. But he made it a point to come for the memorial service. When Pran Saab got the Dadasaheb Phalke award he didn’t want to meet anyone, which is quite understandable considering his deteriorating health. So I spoke on the phone to his wife Shukla Bhabhi and their daughter Pinky. He had a full life, great success and he achieved all that he had set out to achieve.” Not too many people know this. But Pran has a hugely impressive body of songs associated with his characters on screen: Kasme vaade pyar wafa  in the film  Upkar(sung by Manna Dey),  Jeena toh hai usski jissne yeh raaz jaana hai kaam aadmi ka auron ke kaam aana  in Adhikar(this evergreen Qawaalli sung by Mohd Rafi and filmed on Pran embodied Pran Saab’s real-life philosophy),  Yaari hai imaan mera  in Zanjeer(when Manna Dey sang for a second time for Pran after  Upkar  it had to be something special,this Qawwalli was a bigger hit than the other Kalyanji-Anandji chartbusters in Zanjeer),  Raaz ki baat kehn doon toh  in    Dharma(the Qawwalli sung by Asha Bhosle and Mohd Rafi and filmed on Bindu and Pran dragged this potboiler to a blockbuster level),  Hum bolega toh bologe ki bolta hai in     Kasauti(the Amitabh Bachchan-Hema Malini starrer again got its boxoffice clout solely from this Kishore Kumar song filmed on Pran), Phir  na kehna Michael daroo peekey danga karta hai  in    Majboor(a Goan tune composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal and sung with gusto by Kishore Kumar), Do bechare bina sahaare in    Victoria 203 (this    song was a rage.Interestingly Mahendra Kapoor sang for Pran while Kishore Kumar crooned for his brother Ashok Kumar). Pran was vital to Indian cinema. He is sorely missed to this day. Subhash K Jha is a Patna-based journalist. He’s been writing about Bollywood for long enough to know the industry inside out. Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News , India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook ,  Twitter  and  Instagram .