Only Bollywood villain who became India's highest paid actor charged more fees than Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, refused lead roles, was so hated that..., his name is..

There has always been a time in Bollywood when some special actors have become so famous based on their acting skills that they start charging more than the hero. It is often seen that anyone who wants to be a part of the film industry prefers to become a lead actor, as they are considered bigger box office draws. However, today we will tell you about a famous villain who, four decades back, commanded greater fees than even Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra during their peak. This actor was the only villain to become India's highest-paid star. We are talking about none other than the legendary actor Pran. 

Born in 1920, Pran started his career in the film industry as a hero in 1940. When he did not get much success, he decided to experiment with negative roles. From 1969-82, he worked in eight films with Amitabh Bachchan as his nemesis, and even though the latter was Bollywood's top hero at the time, Pran earned a bigger pay cheque, such was his popularity. The only actor who earned more than Pran at the time was Rajesh Khanna. In the 80s, until Amitabh Bachchan hiked his fees, Pran was the number one actor. Pran was offered romantic roles after he found success as an antagonist, however, as per reports, he rejected them all, saying he did not like to ‘dance around trees’.

Pran appeared in more than 362 films, in his long and prolific career. His role as villains, in films, were so dreaded that he became synonymous with evil and menace in the country. Reports state that many parents refused to name their kids Pran in the 1950s and 60s, such was his influence. 

For the unversed, Pran took retirement from acting after 2000. He passed away in 2013 at the age of 93.

READ | Shashi Kapoor called this actress B-grade, refused to work with her, she then broke heart of Kapoor family's beloved son, denied marrying him due to..., her name is..