In the world of movies, heroes usually get the spotlight. They are featured on posters and billboards, and that’s why they often get paid the most. However, back in the 1970s, during a time when Amitabh Bachchan was super famous, there was a villain who became the highest-paid actor in India. His name was Pran Kishan Sikand, simply known as Pran.
Who was Pran?
Pran was born in 1920 and was known as one of the greatest villains in Bollywood. He started acting as a hero in Punjabi and Hindi films in the 1940s. But by the late 1940s, he switched to playing bad guys. From then until the 1980s, he became famous for his villainous roles in films like Ram Aur Shyam, Madhumati, and Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai.
Pran Takes the Spotlight
In the late 1960s, Pran’s face became common on movie posters, and his presence in films was showcased in advertisements. This fame allowed him to increase his fees. Between 1968 and 1982, he charged several lakhs for each movie, often more than famous heroes like Dharmendra and even Amitabh Bachchan. For some time, Pran was the highest-paid actor in India until Amitabh raised his fees in the early 1980s.
Switching Roles
Even though he played villains, Pran did try out different kinds of characters. He played good guys and roles with shades of grey, like in the movies Zanjeer and Amar Akbar Anthony. By the 70s, his good roles became very popular too.
The Power of the Name
During his peak as a villain in the 50s and 60s, many people were scared of his character. It became so bad that some parents chose not to name their children ‘Pran’ because they worried it would bring bad luck!
Pran continued to act in smaller roles through the 80s and 90s before he stopped acting after a heart attack in 1998. He appeared in a few guest roles after 2000. Sadly, he passed away in 2013 at the age of 93.
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