Pran almost did not do 'Johny Mera Naam'


Pran initially turned down the film saying that he did not have the time 


By Rajesh Ahuja 


One of the significant milestones in the Bollywood career of legendary actor Pran is the 1970s action thriller Johny Mera Naam. 


However, not many may be aware that Pran almost did not do the film, that was produced by Gulshan Rai and directed by Vijay Anand. 


When he was first approached for the film,  Pran declined the role saying that he did not have the time. However,  impressed by director Vijay Anand's acceptance of his decision,  Pran had second thoughts and decided to accommodate the filmmakers. 


Pran initially turned down Johny Mera Naam




Writing in the biography of the legendary villain and character actor,  Bunny Reuben said, 'after Gulshan Rai decided to make his first film, he made up his mind to rope in Dev Anand and Pran for the two most important roles of the film'. ' 


According to the director of the film Vijay Anand,  the reason why Gulshan Rai wanted to cast Dev Anand and Pran in his first film as producer was that they both big names in the film industry at that time. 


Speaking in the biography,  Vijay Anand said 'Gulshanjee wanted both Dev Saab and Pranjee because when he became a producer,  he was already a well established distributor - and he knew that big names sell. ' 


After the initial spadework was done,  few of the people in the film industry known to Gulshan Rai warned him about turning producer- especially due to the high risk involved. 


This put the director Vijay Anand under pressure to ensure the success of the film.. 


According to Vijay Anand, 'Gulshanjee got irritated, being told off like that! So, he told me to make sure that the film would be a commercial hit. That is the only time that I went into the making of a film keeping in mind  box office appeal,  that the film should be a hit from A to Z. 


Naturally  therefore I agreed to take whoever Gulshanjee wanted for his film. However,  when K A Narayan and Gulshanjee went to meet Pranjee,  he told them, 'I don't have the time. ' 


After Pran declined the offer,  a dejected Gulshan Rai asked Vijay Anand to try to persuade Pran to sign up for the film. 


When Goldie (Vijay Anand) went to meet Pran, he showed him his fully booked diary and his back to back shooting schedules.  So,  Goldie decided not to push matters further. 


Goldie's quiet acceptance that Pran was busy and his view that Pran should not be pushed into doing this role impressed Pran so much that he decided to accommodate the filmmakers . 


Speaking in the biography,  Vijay Anand said, 'Gulshan Rai, however,  informed me Pranjee had told him that he was highly impressed by my demeanor and had said, ''such a strange young man. When I showed him my diary,  he just got up and left. He never tried to argue or discuss.  Therefore, I must do something. ' 


'Once it was decided that everyone would do his or her best to accommodate Pran's schedule and make adjustments as required, he agreed to sign on the dotted line. And that is how Pran came into the star cast of 'Johny Mera Naam ','the biographer said. 


Produced by Gulshan Rai and directed by Vijay Anand,  Johny Mera Naam,  released in 1970, starred Dev Anand and Pran as brother separated in childhood. The film also starred Hema Malini,  Premnath, Iftekhar and I S Johar in pivotal roles. 


Johny Mera Naam was the highest grossing Bollywood film of 1970, and was a feather in the cap for Pran.


Also Read 


When Pran got pat on the back from former Prez Zakir Hussain for portrayal of 'Malang Chacha' in Upkar 


Kishore Kumar's refusal to sing 'Kasme Vaade Pyar'  for Manoj Kumar’s Upkar paved way for Manna Dey 




When Pran charged just one rupee from Raj Kapoor for Bobby 


When Manoj Kumar joined the cast of Aadmi after last minute exit of Dharmendra 



Pran recommended Dev Anand to Prakash Mehra as hero  for Zanzeer 




When Rishi Kapoor turned down offer to do a guest appearance in Koi Mil Gaya 


When RD Burman sought Rishi Kapoor's help to get work in his films in 90s 



















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