Remembering Pran on his death anniversary: Legendary actor's lesser-known facts
Pran Krishan Sikand Ahluwalia, affectionately known as Pran, continues to be remembered as one of Bollywood's most celebrated artists. With an illustrious career spanning over 350 movies, Pran received various accolades for his immense contributions, including the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award and Padma Bhushan. On his death anniversary on Wednesday, we commemorate his remarkable legacy by taking a look at the actor's lesser-known facts.
Pran acted in 22 films before Partition
Born in 1920 in Old Delhi's Ballimaran area, Pran had an intriguing start to his acting career. He appeared in around 22 films, most of which were released before the 1947 Partition. However, due to the Partition, his career had a brief pause. When he arrived in Mumbai, with the help of writer Saadat Hasan Manto, Pran got a role in Ziddi in 1948.
When he hid his acting career from his father
Pran's family wasn't supportive of his acting career. Fearful of their disapproval, the actor even kept the accomplishment of getting his first break a secret. Apparently, when he landed his first role in the Punjabi film Yamla Jat in 1940, he didn't have the courage to inform his father. Reports suggest, he even asked his sister to hide the newspaper containing his first-ever interview.
When Pran charged only Rs. 1 for 'Bobby'
The legendary actor was immensely passionate about his profession. So much so, that he even agreed to sign Raj Kapoor's directorial Bobby for a mere one rupee. Pran—who played Mr. Nath in Bobby—was well aware of Kapoor's financial constraints at the time and decided not to take his usual fee. Notably, Pran's contribution to the film played a significant role in its success.
The greatest on-screen villain was the highest-paid actor in Bollywood
It is commonly believed that heroes are the highest-paid actors in any production, but Pran—being a villain—effectively changed this notion. Pran was among the highest-paid actors, and reportedly, the only actor who commanded a higher salary than him was Rajesh Khanna. During the 1960-70s, it was common for producers to avoid casting both of these actors together to prevent an increase in production costs.
Did you know, Pran had a makeup artist at home?
It may come as a surprise, but Pran—who was known for his meticulous attention to detail—had a makeup artist at home who would sketch the desired look, which would then be brought to life. Films like Gumnaam, Parvarish, Zanjeer, Don, and Shaheed are some examples where his character's styling became iconic. Unfortunately, in the 1990s, Pran began rejecting films due to age-related issues.
