Pran - Noorjahan was his Heroine in his First Hindi Film

 

Pran, the greatest villain ever in the history of Indian cinema played hero roles from 1940–47. In the 1940s, romantic duets featuring him, like the songs "Tere Naaz Uthane Ko Jee Chahta Hai" from Grihasti, opposite Shardha, and 'Ud Ja Ud Ja Panchhi' from Khandaan (1942), with Noor Jehan, became very popular. He got his first role in Dalsukh M. Pancholi's Punjabi film Yamla Jat (1940). The film featured baby Noor Jehan. as a child artist, Both appeared in Khandan(1942) as romantic leads. It was Noorjehan's first film as an adult. The film was a great success, Noorjehan shifted to Bombay. She shared melodies with Shanta Apte in Duhai (1943).

Pran was working in Lahore, acted in 22 films from 1942 to 1946 in Lahore; 18 were released by 1947. Due to India's partition in 1947, his career had a brief break. His films from 1944 to 1947 were made in undivided India, but Taraash (1951) and Khanabadosh (1952) (both co-starring Manorama) were released only in Pakistan after Partition. He left Lahore and arrived in Bombay. For a few months, he looked for acting opportunities while doing other jobs. He worked in Delmar Hotel, Marine Drive for eight months, after which he got a chance to act in 1948.

This film was Ziddi released in 1948, He got this opportunity because of his friendship with writer Saadat Hasan Manto and actor Shyam, The movie launched Pran's career in Bombay. Incidentally, it proved to be Dev Anand's big break as a hero. Within a week of Ziddi's success, he had signed three more films – S M Yusuf's Grihasti (1948), which became a diamond jubilee hit, Prabhat Films' Apradhi (1949) and Wali Mohammad's Putli (1949). By then, Wali Mohammad, who was responsible for Pran's first role, had come to Bombay and became a producer, setting up an office at Famous Studios, near Mahalaxmi Racecourse

Pran was among the highly successful & respected veteran actors in the history of Indian cinema. He was also one of the highest-paid actors of his time. He played hero roles from 1940–47, a villain from 1948–1991, and played supporting and character roles from 1967–2007. The decades of late 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s were the peak periods of Pran's villainy, especially the 1950s & 1960s. Pran was the first true personification of "evil" on the Indian screen. He is the original badman of Indian cinema. The intensity of his portrayal of negative/villainous characters on the screen was effective enough to desist the Indian people from naming their children "Pran" in the 1950s & 60s & subsequently thereafter (when Pran was at the peak of his villainy).

He was given Padma Bhushan in 2001 and Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2013

Song of Khandan 1942

Song of Grihasti 1948

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Danny Denzongpa - The name Danny was given by Jaya Bhaduri Bachchan

 

His original name is Tshering Phintso Denzongpa became famous as Danny from Bollywood. He was born on 25th Feb 1948 in Sikkim. He got admission to Armed Force Medical College Pune and went there to study Medicine but his interest was in Art. When he came to know about Pune Film & Television Institute, he shifted to an acting course.

Jaya Bhaduri was his classmate, who suggested him to change his name to 'Danny'.He also became a good friend of Amitabh Bachchan, they used to play tennis together in the early 70s. He got his first role in Zaroorat(1972) but got his major break in Gulzar's Mere Apne (1971), where he had a positive role. He had his first played an antagonist in B.R.Chopra's Dhundh (1973), where he played the role of a crippled and frustrated husband.

He is also a good singer, he was first given a chance to sing, 'Mera Naam Aao' by S.D. Burman in the film Yeh Gulistan Hamara in 1972. later he sang in a few films. He has sung with Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar and Asha Bhosle. 

With Asha Bhosle, he sang a duet "Suno Suno Kasam Se" in the Hindi film Kala Sona in 1975 picturized on him, became a hit, He also sang with Mohammad Rafi "Mujhe Doston Tum Gale Lagaa Lo" from Naya Daur 1978, in the same film he sang a duet with Kishore Kumar "Botal Khaali Hone To Do"

He has sung a Nepali duet with Asha Bhosle, "Aage aage topai ko gola pachhi pachhi machinegun barara" in 1976. This song was shown by Danny to Rajesh Khanna who liked the song tremendously. Then Rajesh Khanna requested R.D. Burman to compose the song – "Sang Mere Nikle The Sajan" from the 1981 film Phir Wohi Raat, which was directed by Danny himself 

His most applauded negative characters are in Bandish (1980) as Kapil Kumar, Phir Wahi Raat as "Ashok", Dharm Aur Qanoon (1984), as SP "Kader", Kanoon Kya Karega (1984), as "Raghuvir Singh", Andar Baahar (1984), as "Shera", Oonche Log (1985), as "Thakur Maan Singh", Aandhi Toofan (1986), as "Balbir" Bhagwaan Dada (1986), as "Gangwaa", Agneepath (1990), as "Kancha Cheena", Hum (1991), as "Bakhtawar", Ghatak: Lethal, as "Kaatya", Krantiveer (1994), as "Chatur Singh", Pukar, (2000) as "Abhrush" and Indian, as "Shankar Singhania". He was pitted against Pran in the film Sanam Bewafa, Paap Ki Duniya, Gurudev and 1942: A Love Story. His command over the Urdu language came in handy in films such as Sawan Kumar's Sanam Bewafa and Mukul Anand's Khuda Gawah.

In recent years he appeared in Jai Ho (2014), co-starring Salman Khan and Bang Bang (2014), co-starring Hrithik Roshan.

He was nominated 5 times as the Best Villain and 5 times as Best Supporting actor and won it twice in Sanam Bewafa(1992) and Khuda Gawah(1993). He was also given Padamshri by Govt of India.

Song of Yeh Gulistan Hamara 1972

Song of  Kala Sona 1975

Song of Naya Daur 1978

Song of Naya Daur 1978

Pran- Started his Second Inning from the film Ziddi(1948)

 

Ziddi(1948) was the first hit film of Dev Anand and was also the first Bombay film of Pran. Before this film, Pran was working in Lahore Film Industry. His first film was Yamla Jatt, a Punjabi film released in 1940. His first Hindi film was Khandan made in Lahore was released in 1942, he was the hero of this film and Noorjehan was his heroine.

He had acted in 22 films from 1942 to 1946 in Lahore; 18 were released by 1947. After the partition of India, he moved to Bombay and had to struggle for livelihood.  For a few months, he looked for acting opportunities while doing other jobs. He worked in Delmar Hotel, Marine Drive for eight months, after which he got a chance to act in 1948. He got this opportunity because  of his friendship with  writer Saadat Hasan Manto and actor Shyam, 

Within a week of Ziddi's success, he had signed three more films – S M Yusuf's Grihasti (1948), which became a diamond jubilee hit, Prabhat Films' Apradhi (1949) and Wali Mohammad's Putli (1949). By then, Wali Mohammad, who was responsible for Pran's first role, had come to Bombay and became a producer, setting up an office at Famous Studios, near Mahalaxmi Racecourse.

As a villain, Pran's initial successful films were Ziddi and Bari Behan (1949).  He became the favourite of the directors like M. V. Raman, Nanabhai Bhatt, Kalidas, Ravindra Dave, I. S. Johar and Bimal Roy repeatedly cast him in the 50s. He was now regularly offered the role of the main villain or of a negative character in films with Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand and Raj Kapoor as the lead hero in the 1950s and 60s. Some of his memorable films with  Dilip Kumar in the 50s  Pran's trademark blowing of smoke rings first appeared in the latter film. were Aan (1952), Azaad (1955), Devdas (1955), Madhumati (1958), with Dev Anand were Munimji (1955), Amar Deep (1958), and with Raj Kapoor were  Aah (1953), Chori Chori (1956), Jagte Raho (1956), 

In the 50s he was also offered many films as hero,  Pilpili Saheb (1954) and then Halaku in 1956, were his hit films as a hero. . He had roles in several genres, like as a pirate in Sindbad the Sailor (1952) and Daughter of Sindbad (1958); He played comic roles with Kishore Kumar in Chham Chhama Chham (1952), Aasha (1957), Bewaqoof (1960), Half Ticket (1962) and Man-Mauji (1962).

In the late 1960s, Pran played Malang Chacha, a veteran war hero, in Manoj Kumar's film Upkar (1967). The Kalyanji Anandji song "Kasme Waade Pyaar Wafaa" was picturised on him. In this film, Pran played a more sympathetic role. He received his first Filmfare Award for Upkar. Kumar continued to cast him in pivotal roles in films such as Purab Aur Paschim (1970), Be-Imaan (1972), Sanyasi (1975) and Dus Numbri (1976).

From 1969 to 1982, Pran was one of the highest-paid actors of Bollywood. He played the lead role in the film Aurat, (1967) paired opposite Padmini, with Rajesh Khanna in a supporting role. He was paid more amount than Amitabh Bachchan in Zanjeer(1973). Later he acted with Bachchan in about 14 films with notable ones being Zanjeer, Don (1978), Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), Dostana (1980), Naseeb (1981) and Sharaabi (1984).

Pran had a six-decade career in Hindi cinema and is one of the most celebrated actors of the industry.r He appeared in over 350 films. At the age of 78, Pran suffered a heart attack in 1998,after which he started rejecting film offers due to age-related problems.

Pran has received many awards and honours in his career. He won the Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award in 1967, 1969 and 1972 and was awarded the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997. He was awarded as the 'Villain of the Millennium' by Stardust in 2000.The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Bhushan in 2001 for his contributions to the arts. He was honoured in 2013 with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest national award for cinema artists, by the Government of India.
.He died on 12 July 2013 at the age of 93 of pneumonia after suffering from a prolonged illness in Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital

Song of Munimji 1955

Song from Half Ticket 1962

Song of Upkar 1967

Song of Nanha Farishta 1969

Song of Adhikar 1971

Song of Victoria No 203 (1972)

Song of Zanjeer 1973

Song of  Dharma 1973

Song from Kasauti 1974