Mumbai: Actor Pran (93), who was one of the most legendary villains of Indian cinema, has passed away. Pran, who was bedridden due to prolonged illnesses, breathed his last at the Mumbai Lilavathi Hospital on Friday night. His cremation will take place at the Mumbai Shivasi park Crematorium on Saturday afternoon.
The veteran actor who had acted in more than 400 films, had been conferred the Dada Falke award this year. He was also felicitated with the National Padmabhushan award by the nation. Star dust had presented him with the “Villian of the century” award in 2000. He had won the Best Supporting actor Film Fare awards 4 times, as well as the Bombay Film Journalist Association Award 3 times. His famous films include Don, Madhumati, Ziddi, Ram aur Syam, Upkar, Ansoo Ban Gaye Phool, Be Imaam, Jis Desh Main Ganga Behti Hain, Shaheed, Zanjeer, and Half Ticket.
Pran’s life story was also as dramatic as his films. Originally from Lahore in Pakistan, Prem Krishn Sikhand or Pran, as he was better known came to Mumbai with the dream of cinema. Hoping to train as a still photographer, he landed at a studio in Lahore. But his debut was in Yamlajat, a Punjabi film, where he played a villain. After the partition, he moved with his family to Mumbai and settled there, trying his luck in the film industry. Though initially the Bollywood industry dejected him, luck did favour him in “Ziddi”, a Hindi movie, starring with Dev Anand. After the consequent blockbuster ‘Grandhi’, there was no turning back for Pran.