When Pran refused Filmfare Award for Be-imaan in solidarity with Pakeezah Music director Ghulam Mohammad 


By Rajesh Ahuja 



In an industry where receiving a Filmfare award has, over the  years,  been considered as a big honour by people in the Mumbai  film industry,  legendary actor Pran,  in 1973,, declined a Filmfare Award bestowed to him in solidarity with late Music  director  Ghulam Mohammad. 


At a time when winning a Filmfare Award every year was considered big news by the winners and refusing one would be absolutely unthinkable, Pran refused to accept in 1973 the Filmfare Award for Best  Supporting actor for his performance as a policeman in Beimaan as he felt that the Filmfare Award for Best Music Director should have gone to the late Ghulam Mohammad. 


Pran  refused the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting actor for Be-imaan in  solidarity with late Music director Ghulam Mohammad 




News of the Filmfare Award being turned down hit the headlines everywhere and became the most talked about subject all around. 


According to the biography of the legendary actor,  Pran refused the award as a matter of principle, in protest against the Filmfare awards committee ignoring music director Ghulam Mohammad for  his performance in the iconic film Pakeezah. 


The Filmfare Award for Best Music director that year went to Shankar Jaikishen for Beimaan. 


Speaking in the biography,  Pran said,'Shankar is a good music director but this year, the Best Music Award should have gone to the late Ghulam Mohammad for Pakeezah. ' 


Pran,  like many people in the film industry,  felt that the Filmfare Award for Best Music director that year should have gone to Ghulam Mohammad for Kamal Amrohi for Pakeezah.  Many in the industry also felt that Meena Kumari should have got the Filmfare Award for Best Actress for Pakeezah. 


Pran strongly felt that a statement should be made on the unfairness of the Award that year. 


The controversy that erupted is highlighted by an exchange of letters between Pran and B K Karanjia, the then editor of Filmfare , through pages of the 'Journal of the film industry' which used to be published in newspaper-size by the Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association (IMPPA). 


In his letter to B K Karanjia,  Pran said, 'I would be failing in my duty towards the film industry, which has made me whoever I am today,  by accepting one of the awards which have not been fair this time. 


I strongly feel that the Filmfare awards committee has been unfair in not giving the award for Best Music director for the late Mr Ghulam Mohammad for his music direction of Pakeezah . Since the days that these awards were announced,  my conscience has been biting me and I cannot bear it any more. I would appreciate if you would relieve me from the burden of receiving the Best Supporting actor's trophy.' 


Even as Ghulam Mohammad and Meena Kumari not winning Filmfare awards for their work in Pakeezah stirred controversy, the. Filmfare, defended their decision by stating that according to their rules, posthumous awards were not allowed then. 


 Filmfare's editor B. K. Karanjia said both Ghulam Mohammad (the music director of Pakeezah) and Josef Wirsching (cinematographer) lost for the same reason.


Also Read 


Pran almost did not do 'Johny Mera Naam'



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 






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