Veteran actor Pran, who is known for being one of the greatest villains Indian Cinema has ever produced, has been awarded the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award by the Government of India. Awarded for his contribution to films, Pran Saheb will receive a Swarn Kamal, a cash prize of RS. 10 Lakhs and a shawl which forms as part of his prize. He has starred in hundreds of films during the 1940s-1970s and has worked with esteemed actors like Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand and Amitabh Bachchan.
Initially beginning his career in films during the 1940s in Lahore, Pran Saheb moved to Bombay following the partition of India and got his breakthrough role with the film Ziddi opposite Dev Anand. Since then, he starred in a range of films where he gave a new and acclaimed dimension to the Indian villain. No other villain is as iconic as Pran Saheb and no doubt; he is the inspiration for many of today’s actors who adopt a villainous role for their films.
Previous winners of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award include Lata Mangeshkar, Prithviraj Kapoor, Asha Bhosle, Yash Chopra, Satyajit Ray and Soumitra Chatterjee. It is the highest award that can be conferred by the Government of India upon someone who has made unparalleled contributions to Indian Cinema.
Congratulations to Pran Saheb on winning the award!
