A man who doesn’t need any introduction. A man above all perfection. An actor par excellence. No one such him will grace Bollywood again, ever.
In my childhood, when I see the mythological serials like Mahabharat & Ramayan, I was pretty amazed to see that people name there children Arjun, Nakul, Ram, Laxman & all, but they never name there children with name like Ravan, Duryodhan etc. My parents told me that we never use such name as they were the symbol of evil. After two or three year later I came to know an another interesting fact related to this that no one has name their children PRAN for last 50 years(as this is year 1999 & I”m 10 year old) Now I am confused whether this man is evil enough to create such terror.
But today I know that this is his excellence which is beyond anything other. A man who can create such effect on any society with his acting only. It means that his acting never looks acting even in those day when over the top acting is popular. No offense to any one but most of the star in India, whether it is Dev Anand, Rajesh Khanna or even Dilip Kumar, every actor has their signature style. This somewhere stops them in going to each and every character. That’s why if first two remain mostly the romantic star for all their life, the last one called as tragedy king. But that doesn’t suit with Pran. Though he gets type casted as villain for a very long time, but he played different characters. And when he gets a chance to change his image, he doesn’t go for the second one. In the first only supporting roles he gets all the acclaim possible. With Upkar, he turned the table round.
Whenever I think of Pran, at a personal level, I get the image of some perfect smoke rings, larger than any thing like Pran himself, and from black & white frame enters Pran. I used to recognize him with those smoke ring, only as an amateur audience. I don’t remember the name of movie. Later I used to respect him as an actor, after watching him in movies which has make him the greatest villain in the history of Cinema, like Ram Aur Shyam, Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai & many more. But it was Upkar only which make him Legend for me too. The character of Malang Chacha looks tailor made for him only. I get connected to him instantly. I would not be wrong, if I say that it has influenced me too in some way. Today also I love the classic song picturized on him, Kasme Vaade Pyaar Wafa Sab Baatein Baaton Ka Kya. Next I remember him in Purab Aur Paschim where he played Harnam. Though he is again somewhat in grey shade but the way he transform in the movie & with some fine dialogue, delivered in some unique style make him stuck in my mind as for always. Than come the Zanjeer which gives Bollywood, it biggest star. But it is again Pran who made Bachchan memorable for me in that Police Station scene where Bachchan says “Jab tak baithane ko na kaha jaye sharafat se khade raho. Ye Police Station hai tumhere baap ka ghar nahin”. Look at the way he respond back.
May be he is not more among us, but you can’t remember Bollywood without his mention. CNN mentioned him as among the Top 25 actors of Asia & surely he is.
Barkhuddar…………..!!!!!!!!!!
Mirage of my mind 