Pran, film actor
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P R A N | 1 9 2 0 - 2 0 1 3 The original ‘bad man’ everyone loved takes his last bow
Avijit Ghosh | TNN
The Times of India 2013/07/13
Pran was a villain in his own league. He gave a melange of shades to the craft of villainy — he could be evil and lecherous as in Madhumati; suave and scheming (‘Jab Pyaar Kisi Se Hota Hai’), rustic dacoit (‘Jis Des Mein Ganga Behti Hai’) and the comic villain (‘Half-Ticket’). His flair for comedy was also evident in films where he played the good guy such as ‘Victoria No 203’, ‘Jungle Mein Mangal’ and ‘Kasauti’.
Sometimes his role was more prominent and central to a film’s narrative than the hero as in ‘Victoria No 203’ (along with Ashok Kumar) and Dharma.Voice was key to his repertoire. His smooth voice was often used to seduce and abuse gullible girls. With slight modulation, he could also use it to threaten, coax, cajole — anything the role demanded. He even got to croon what became the film’s most popular track:Yaari hai imaan mera (Zanjeer), Daaru ki botal mein (Majboor) and Hum bolega to bologe ke bolta hai (Kasauti).HisqawwaliduelwithBinduin the song, Raaz ki baat keh doon to (Dharma) is what frontbencher’s celluloid dreams are made of.
There was a certain style with which he approached roles. The story, as recounted in Reuben’s biography, goes that he was spotted eating paan in a stylish way–which is why he was handed the role of a villain in his debut film, ‘Yamla Jat’ (1940). Pran was born to a well-heeled family in Old Delhi’s Ballimaran area in 1920. He worked as a photographer’s assistant in Lahore in pre-independence India. Pran would often use a gesture to define a character. In ‘Badi Bahen’, he created cigarette smoke rings. Raka, the dacoit leader of ‘Jis Des Mein Ganga Behti Hai’, would run his hand over his neck, a premonition that the noose was tightening around him. Shata le Shata le Shanno, was his catchline in ‘Kashmir Ki Kali’ where he pronounced the word, s, as, sh. In ‘Majboor’, he used his hands like a binocular, an indication that he was foreseeing danger.
He was also a very conscientious actor who got completely involved in the role.In the climax of ‘Majboor’,his character gets shot in the stomach.During the shooting,Pran kept changing the make-up after every scene to show how life was slowly ebbing away from him. One of his finest perfromance was in Harmesh Malhotra’s Gaddar, where he played BK, the leader of a gang of crookswholives anddiesby his own code of honour. Towards the later partof hiscareer,he also playedthe role of a father in a clutch of multi-starrer superhits such as ‘Dharamveer’ and ‘Amar Akbar Anthony’.
In his foreword toPran’s biography, Amitabh Bachchan gave a glimpse into the private side of the actor. He wrote in 2004, “I gleaned a little-known facet of his during the outdoor shooting spellof ‘Ganga ki Saugandh’.Pran sahib is hugely fond of Urdu poetry and literature. He keeps abreast of all sports events. At one point, he was fond of shikar. He has an encyclopaedic knowledge of sher-o-shayri, folk tales and ribald humour.”
Pran was regarded as a man of principle in the film industry. In 1973,he did not accept the Filmfare award for ‘Beiman’ because he felt that the committee had been unfair in giving the best music director award to Shankar Jaikishan and not Ghulam Mohammed for his music in ‘Pakeezah’.
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Ballimaran remembers its famous son
Later in life, even after he had become a famous film actor, Pran visited the narrow lanes of Katra Neel. Pran lived near Novelty cinema. His father was a well-off businessman. His father Kewal Krishan Sikand was a popular figure. TNN
MY NAME IS PRAN
Pran Krishan Sikand
Born in 1920 in Delhi into a wealthy Punjabi family, Pran started his career in 1940
He first ventured into photography but a chance meeting with a film producer got him his first role in ‘Yamla Jat’
He acted in several films, his base being Lahore in undivided India
His career experienced a brief pause due to the Partition in 1947
Subsequently, he moved to Bombay
With the help of writer Saadat Hasan Manto and actor Shyam, Pran got a break in the Bombay Talkies film ‘Ziddi’
THE HONOURS
The veteran film actor was the 44th Dadasaheb Phalke Award (2012) winner The award is conferred by the government for outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema
Previous awardees include Satyajit Ray, Dev Anand and Yash Chopra
He received the award on May 10, 2013, which officially marks Indian cinema’s 100th year
Pran was a recipient of many awards, including the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award (1997)
He was also honoured with the Padma Bhushan (2001)
FAMOUS DIALOGUES
Sher Khan ne shaadi nahi ki to kya hua... lekin baaraatein bahut dekhi hai (Zanjeer)
Is ilaaqe mein naye aaye ho sahab?... varna Sher Khan ko kaun nahin jaanta (Zanjeer)
Tumhara Baap Raaka (Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai)
Yeh Kaun Hai Kishorilal (Biraj Bahu)
NEGATIVE ROLES
Navrangi (Khandan) | Raka (Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai) | Changez Khan (Halaku) | Killedar Karan Singh (Baradari) | Chhote Choudhary (Heer Ranjha)
POSITIVE ROLES
Pyaarelal (Kasauti) | Sher Khan (Zanjeer) | Malang (Upkaar) | JJ (Don) | Rana (Victoria No 203)
