Remembering legendary actor Pran's iconic films on his birth anniversary
There was a time in Hindi cinema when most major movies were incomplete without the presence of one legendary actor—Pran. Known for breathing life into multiple villainous avatars, his peculiar manner of speaking, and his ability to personify evil on screen, Pran has left behind a legacy that only few can come close to. We revisit his iconic films on his birth anniversary.
'Don'
If rumors are to be believed, Pran was paid more than leading man Amitabh Bachchan for Don! In this 1978 release, Pran played the character of Jasjit, a poor widower. The Chandra Barot directorial also starred Zeenat Aman, Iftekhar, Om Shivpuri, Helen, Yusuf Khan, and Mac Mohan, among others. It was written by the exemplary writer duo of Salim-Javed. Its digital home is ZEE5.
'Zanjeer'
Who can forget Pran's character as Pathan Sher Khan in the uber-successful action drama film Zanjeer (1973)? It is even said that he had recommended Amitabh Bachchan's name to director Prakash Mehra, and the rest, of course, is history. Pran's character, to this day, keeps inspiring several other artists who employ their own variations and modifications to the role. Catch the flick on YouTube.
'Half Ticket'
In what can be called one of the earliest negative roles of his career, director Kalidas's Half Ticket saw Pran playing the role of a diamond smuggler. The 1962 film co-starred Kishore Kumar and Madhubala and, over the decades, has gained prominence as a cult classic Hindi comedy. It can be streamed on platforms such as YouTube or Amazon Prime Video.
'Jis Des Mein Ganga Behti Hai'
Pran's famous dialogue "Tumhara baap Raaka" is from this film that has gained a cult-like following among his fans. The 1960 drama film was fronted by Raj Kapoor, Padmini, Lalita Pawar, Raj Mehra, and Sadhana, among others. It was also the proud recipient of four trophies (best film, actor, editing, and art direction) at the 9th Filmfare Awards. Radhu Karmakar directed the commercially-successful film.
