When he passed away in 2013, the centenary year of Indian cinema, Pran had been acting for well over two-thirds of his 93 years, beginning as hero and ending up as a supporting actor - but making his mark in a long stint as such a convincing and consummate villain that Indian parents did not use his name for their children for at least a quarter of a century!
He did not need any appurtenances to portray his evil nature onscreen - just a glare from his remarkable eyes, along with his steely voice, and a sneer - where enough.
Pran, however, sought to imbue each performance - whether as villain or supporting actor - with something different, be it mannerisms, make-up, and proper accents. Remember his outings as a Pathan, a Nepali, a Bhopali, and a Goan, or the ones in which he modelled his appearance on Sheikh Mujibur Rehman, Abraham Lincoln, or Sam Pitroda?
Born on this day
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