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India’s ‘bad man’ – Pran

Veteran actor Pran will receive the prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke lifetime achievement award. The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is the highest cinematic honour bestowed annually by the Government of India. He was also honoured with the Padma Bhushan for his contribution to cinema in 2001.

In the past Dilip Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar, Dev Anand and Yash Chopra to name a few have received the prestigious award.

The 93-year-old Pran, whose real name is Pran Krishan Sikand, has appeared in 350 films from the 1940s to the 1990s and has played both positive and negative roles with equal passion. Besides Pran, actors Soumitra Chatterjee and E Nageshwar Rao’s names were said to be on the list.

Considered one of the most versatile actors in Hindi films, Pran joined the industry to become a hero but ended up playing one of the best villains it ever had in the last 65 years. Some of his memorable roles are in movies like Ram Aur Shyam, Purab aur Paschim, Karz, Upkaar Sharaabi and Zanjeer to name a few. He truly is the iconic ‘bad man’ of Indian cinema.

The 93-year-old veteran actor is not active in Bollywood anymore. He has been ailing for some months and may not be able to attend the awards ceremony.