Pran presented with Dadasaheb Phalke Award

Zee Media Bureau Mumbai: Information and Broadcast Minister Manish Tiwari presented the Dadasaheb Phalke Award to Pran at the latter’s residence on Friday. The legendary personality was unable to make it to Delhi to receive the award and hence Tiwari flew down to Mumbai to honour him with the same. Addressing reporters after presenting the thespian with the prestigious award, Tiwari said, “When an actor of Pran’s caliber is awarded with the Dadasaheb Phalke, the nobility and the significance of the award only multiplies manifold.” Born as Pran Kishen Sikand, the legendary actor has worked in over 350 films in a career spanning six decades. He made his debut as an antagonist in Dalsukh Pancholi`s Punjabi film ‘Yamla Jat’ (1945) and went on to essay a number of iconic characters in Hindi Cinema after that. Pran became a symbol of villainy after his portrayals of a bad guy in a series of films including hits like ‘Madhumati’, ‘Ziddi’ and ‘Ram Aur Shyam’. If he played a villain to the hilt, he was equally good when he stepped into character roles and won many hearts as loveable Malang Chacha in ‘Upkar’, thoroughly entertained as street-smart fraud in ‘Victoria No. 203’, and epitomised on-screen friendship in the role of a rough but kind Pathan in ‘Zanjeer’. The legendary figure has acted in super-hit films like ‘Milan’, ‘Half Ticket’, ‘Barsaat Ki Ek Raat’ ,’Devdas’, ‘Madhumati’, ‘Kashmir Ki Kali Upkar’, ‘Brahmchari, Johny Mera Naam’, ‘Purab Aur Paschim’ and many more. The grand old man of the Indian film industry, Pran, who has wooed cine-goers with his charisma and style over the years, celebrated his 93rd birthday this year. Hearty congratulations to our very own Pran Saheb for winning the prestigious award!