Pran, the dignified villain

Pran Sikand rose from the grassroots to peaks very few have achieved in Indian cinema. Starting with Punjabi films, he made his mark in Bollywood in 1948 with Ziddi after which he never turned back. This suave and versatile actor added confidence, ruthlessness and dignity to his performances as a villain, never resorting to vulgarity or crudity.

In the late 60s, Pran shifted to mature character roles and with Upkar in 1967, he became a household name as the loveable Malang Chacha.

Pran has acted opposite almost every actor — from Dilip Kumar to Amitabh Bachhan to Rishi Kapoor — and has stood the test of time as an actor of substance. Earlier this week, he was bestowed the coveted Dadasaheb Phalke award in recognition of his immense contribution to Indian cinema. Excepts from an exclusive interview:

Memories of your initial Punjabi films?
I have fresh and fond memories. They were not great films or made with big budgets, yet they helped me develop my acting skills and confidence.

Ziddi gave you a foothold in Hindi films.
It gave the required foothold to Dev Anand, Kamini Kaushal and me. I still remember in one scene in Ziddi, I had a strong argument with Dev Anand. I was so involved in the scene that I opted for two different modulations to deliver my dialogue.

Dev Anand reacted equally well in a staccato delivery. We shook hands complimenting each other after the shot. A competent actor and a true sport, Dev Anand acted with me in a series of hits, Munimji, Amardeep, Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai and Johny Mera Naam.

How did you develop your unique style of villainy?
I consciously attempted never to appear repetitive. The villainy of Munimji was different to that of Madhumati. Similarly, Tumsa Nahin Dekha was no way similar to Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai. At one point in the mid-60s, I was quite bored of being cast only as a villain.

The actors you thoroughly enjoyed working with?
Ashok Kumar, Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor, Manoj Kumar and Amitabh Bachhan. We were like one family. None of us desired to overshadow the other forcibly whilst acting.

In Madhumati, as Ugra Narayan, I had to look straight into Dilip Kumar’s eyes and express my wicked mentality. As usual, Dilip Kumar was even better with his low-key dialogue delivery. Shammi Kapoor punched my face with real force in Tumsa Nahin Dekha, hurting my teeth.

He was very apologetic and I didn’t mind. He was a passionate actor. Performing with Amitabh Bachhan in Zanjeer, I was amazed at his sincerity and dedication. I knew he would go far and he virtually did so.

Were your heroines not scared of you?
(Laughs): No. I never believed in terrorising any actress. In Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai, Padmini reacted eye to eye and we were able to do excellent teamwork. There was no scene in the film where I had to molest her.

Prior to the climax in Gumnaam, I had to approach Nanda with the intention of molesting her. She cried so innocently, “Rakesh aage mat badho”, that I could not develop the evil feeling of molesting her. She smiled and said, “Pran saab you are so realistic that I had to put in my best to match you.”

Why did your maiden attempt to play a positive character in Aah flop?
I initially thought people were not ready to accept me in a positive role. Later, Raj Kapoor and Manoj Kumar explained to me that it was not my fault but a lacunae in direction and scripting. The scene where Raj Kapoor bends down and emotes holding my hands after he is diagnosed with tuberculosis literally shook me. For once, I emoted silently without glycerin.

Any other such scene?
Yes. In Purab Aur Paschim, I developed an excellent rapport with Manoj Kumar after Shaheed. His imaginative eyes discovered my true potential and he totally changed my image in Upkar. An excellent writer, director and actor, he knows very well how to handle actors. I still remember how well he exploited my emotional intensity in Purab Aur Paschim.

As I come staggering after a few bouts of drinks to attend my daughter’s marriage, I suffer from a guilty conscience and my eyes slowly fill with tears. After viewing the films, Nargis Dutt wrote to Manoj Kumar highly praising the 500ft scene as unforgettable.

You were so effective in the song sequence Dil Ki Umange?
I had to lip the stanza in Munimji with a besura note. The majestic romantic part was being rendered by Hemant Kumar and Geeta Dutta for Dev Anand and Nalini Jaywant. I thought my portion would irritate the audience. Fortunately it proved to be a big bonanza for me.The best song I ever lipped is Kasme Wade Pyar Wafa Ke in Upkar.

Your views about contemporaries and juniors?
AKN Singh had a unique style. Kanhaiyalal was inimitable. Premnath was versatile and unpredictable. Jayant stood out with his towering personality and effortlessness. Prem Chopra had a lot of unused potential. So did Vinod Khanna, Shatrughan Sinha and Danny Dengzongpa.

Did you not get stereotyped in your later days?
From the late 70s onwards, the characters offered to me were many but seldom had the substance of Madhumati, Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai or Shaheed. I carried on performing and understood I was getting stereotyped. My own self understood the monotony and thus later I stopped performing, knowing where to draw the line.