Veteran actor Pran, who passed away on Friday night due to prolonged illness and multiple organ failure, will be cremated on Saturday at the Shivaji Park crematorium in Mumbai.
The 93-year-old actor, who strode the film industry like a colossus for decades essaying roles of mostly villains in the silver screen whom generations of cine goers would love to hate, breathed his last at around 8.30 pm at Lilavati Hospital.
He was admitted at Lilavati Hospital for months.Pran: The Man Everyone Loved to HateIn May this year when legendary actor Pran was conferred the highest film honour of India with the presentation of Dada Saheb Phalke award at his residence, the silver screen journey of one of the most powerful actors of the Bollywood industry, who died on Friday, perhaps reached a milestone that was long awaited.
But while the honour that clubbed Pran in the ivy league of Indian celluloid actors was bestowed at the ripe age of 93, the thespian himself had long been rewarded with the glowing tributes of Indian cine goers who for generations just loved to hate the man who played baddies for decades with a skilled voice modulation and then wowed audiences with his layered do-gooder performances in films like Zanjeer and Majboor.Born in the year 1920 in Old Delhi into an affluent Punjabi family, Pran started his career way back in 1940.He has acted in over 400 films in a career spanning six decades. And in each one of them, he brought new mannerism and style, holding the audience spell bound by his acting.
Largely recognised for his villainous characters that he brought alive in the silver screen, Pran ruled the Bollywood filmdom from the 1960s to the early 1980s though his career had started way back in the 1940s. While he played villain, in real life he was known as a perfect gentleman.As actor Anupam Kher remembers Pran was a very dignified actor and who was never diplomatic while Amitabh Bachchan remembers as a gentleman to the core.His talent and acting skills were beyond question."I remember his enthusiasm and commitment towards work. He was such an involved actor and would discuss about his costume and make up and get-up. He used to invent something about the character," remembers film writer and lyricist Javed Akhtar.
"He had great honesty towards his work," says Akhtar who worked on films like Zanzeer and Majboor featuring Pran in special roles.So when actor Pran Krishan Sikand, better know as Pran, died on Friday, the film fraternity mourned the passing away of an actor who exited from the mortal world, but left behind a legacy of myriad cinematic moods he crafted on the celluloid world.The red-haired Pathan Sher Khan in 'Zanjeer' with a magical chemistry with super star Amitabh Bachchan perhaps would never be forgotten.The legendary actor had a great ability to essay his negative roles in equal importance with that of a hero. His style, posture and voice had an instant connect with the audience.
Who can forget his style and sophistication in films like ' Don' or 'Ram Aur Shyam'? The actor had justified every single character that he has portrayed on screen.The actor had such an influence on screen that his name inculcated fear in the minds of many and parents refrained themselves from naming their child 'Pran'. As the credits rolling in the beginning of the films featured Pran, the audience would know that a devilish man would challenge the hero and make it difficult for the heroine till a fight sequence climax pits him against the good forces.Pran is also credited with giving Amitabh Bachchan his biggest break, having recommended that director Prakash Mehra cast him as Inspector Vijay in 1973's 'Zanjeer'.Pran was born on Feb 12, 1920 in Ballimaran, Kotgarh Old Delhi, into an affluent Punjabi family. His father, Kewal Krishan Sikand, was a civil engineer and a Government civil contractor; his mother was Rameshwari, and the couple had four sons and three daughters.
He was academically gifted, especially in mathematics. Since his father had a transferable job, he studied in various places, including Dehradun, Kapurthala, Meerut and Unnao (Uttar Pradesh), finally completing his matriculation from Raza High School, in Rampur.Thereafter, he joined A. Das & Co., Delhi as an apprentice as he wanted to become a professional photographer. This job took him first to Shimla, where he played the role of Sita in a local staging of "Ramlila".A chance meeting with writer Wali Mohammad Wali, who worked for Dalsukh M. Pancholi, at a shop in Hira Mandi, Lahore, led Pran bag his first role in Pancholi's Punjabi film 'Yamla Jat' (1940)He acted as a hero from 1940-47 and as a villain from 1942-1991 while all along playing supporting and character roles from 1948 to 2007.Pran had married Shukla in 1945, and has two sons, Arvind and Sunil, and a daughter, Pinky.In a long and prolific career he appeared in nearly 400 films. He played the leading man in films like Khandaan (1942), Pilpili Saheb (1954) and Halaku (1956).
His roles in the films like Madhumati (1958), Jis Desh Men Ganga Behti Hai (1960), Upkar (1967), Shaheed (1965), Aansoo Ban Gaye Phool (1969), Johny Mera Naam (1970), Victoria No. 203 (1972), Be-Imaan (1972), Zanjeer (1973), Don (1978) and Duniya (1984) are considered to be among his best performances.A star of his stature, Pran has been honoured with numerous awards. The actor was conferred the highest film honour of India, Dadasaheb Phalke Award, for his lifetime achievement this year at his home since he was ailing. He had been honoured with the Padma Bhushan award by the Government of India had in 2001.But awards apart, each time Pran would appear with an imposing presence in his umpteen movies before audiences who would mostly watch them on TV or on CD/DVD players and utter his favourite word "Barkhudaar", the actor will live among the cine lovers forever.
Pran or Pran Kishan Sikand was conferred the highest film honour of India, Dadasaheb Phalke Award, for his lifetime achievement this year at his home since he was ailing, while throughout his acting career he received many accolades, including several Filmfare awards.Pran's performances have received acclaim in films like Azaad, Madhumati, Devdas, Dil Diya Dard Liya, Ram Aur Shyam, Aadmi, Ziddi, Munimji, Amar Deep, Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai, Aah, Chori Chori, Jagte Raho, Chhalia, Jis Desh Men Ganga Behti Hai, Zanjeer etc. The list is long.In 2001, the Government of India had honoured Pran with the Padma Bhushan award. He played the leading man in films like Khandaan (1942), Pilpili Saheb (1954) and Halaku(1956).
Twitteratti mourn Pran's deathPoliticians, film fraternity and people from different walks of life mourned the death of veteran Bollywood actor Pran on Friday.Bollywood actor Pran, who strode the film industry like a colossus for decades essaying roles of mostly villains in the silver screen whom generations of cine goers would love to hate, died on Friday here. He was 93.Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: "Sad to know of demise of legendary actor Pran. He will be remembered for generations. Condolences to his family. May his soul rest in peace."Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj SIngh Chouhan said:"An era ended with departure of legendary actor Shri Pran. May his soul rest in peace. My heartfelt condolences to the grieving family.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sushma Swaraj said: "With the sad demise of Shri Pran, the country has lost an artist par excellence."Former chief election commissioner SY Quraishi tweeted: "A ferocious villain on screen, a perfect gentleman in real life. RIP Pran Sahib. Another icon gone. End of an era."Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar tweeted: "Can't get over the ICONIC PRANSAAB's demise, MalangChacha of UPKAR,Sherkhan of ZANJEER Simply Unforgettable Memories Part of Life Now."Reacting to Pran's death, Bollywood actor Boman Irani posted on his Twitter page: "And Pran Saab is no more.Generations will never forget. That is your legacy."Filmmaker Karan Johar tweeted: "RIP PranSaab.....truly the end of a maginficent and glorious era....he was a gentleman superstar and heaven is blessed today....Funeral for PranSaab at 12 noon tomorrow...Saturday the 13th... at the Shivaji Park electric crematorium."Actor Arjun Rampal said: "RIP Pran Saab, you immortalised so many characters, was fortunate to play one of them. You live in my heart forever."
Condoling the actor's death, actress Dia Mirza posted: "6 decades of entertainment, over 400 hundred films...STALWART #RipPransaab."Actress Chitrangada Singh said: "It feels like one is losing a generation of that has lived a glorious era ... RIP Praan saab .. God bless the soul ."
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