Pran and Dev Anand: a lucky combination in Bollywood 

Pran and Dev Anand starred in nine films, most of them hits 


By Rajesh Ahuja 


Legendary actor Pran Sikand, who established himself as a successful villain in the 50s and 60s,  had most of his successful films with the legendary Ashok Kumar and the 'Big Three ' of the Hindi film industry - Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor and Dev Anand. 


According to the biography of Pran,  titled 'And Pran'','Pran was often the preferred choice to fill bad men's roles from the 1950s onwards. 


'Some of his most successful films were with the original 'evergreen actor ' Ashok Kumar and with 'The Big Three '. 


The biography reveals that of the triumvirate,  Pran shared a special rapport with Dev Anand. 


Pran and Dev Anand were a lucky combination in Bollywood 




This special bond developed when Dev Anand and Pran worked together for the first time in Bombay Talkies' 'Ziddi'(1948). 


Though Pran had excellent mastery in the Urdu language,  something that served him in good stead in his films in Lahore, he was not quite comfortable with the Hindi language and found it difficult to cope with lengthy dialogues in films in Bombay.  In this context,  Pran took help from Dev Anand with his lengthy dialogues in 'Ziddi' 


'Pran's mastery over Urdu enabled him to use that language to his advantage in his Lahore films. But as far as Hindi was concerned, he was not quite comfortable with the language and found it difficult to cope with lengthy dialogues, 'the biography said. 


Pran took help from Dev Anand with certain Hindi words in his dialogues. 


'Ziddi was one of Dev Anand's earlier pictures and since he had more skill with the language,  Pran took his help with certain Hindi words in his dialogue, getting Dev to pronounce the words, while he would transliterate them into Urdu,''the biography reveals. 


Pran never forgot that kindness and, consequently,  during their equally long careers, co starred with Dev Anand in nine films,  sometimes as villain,  sometimes character actor and once even as his father- in Warrant (1975). 


After 'Ziddi', Pran and Dev Anand acted together in Filmistan's 'Munimji', in which Nalini Jaywant was the heroine.  This film was a hit. Then came Shivaji Productions' 'Amardeep', directed by T Prakash Rao in 1958, in which there were three heroines; Padmini,  Vyjayantimala and Ragini. The film also did well. 


This film was followed by Nasir Hussain's 'Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai ', which also starred Asha Parekh and once again was a hit. 


'It's no wonder that in many quarters, Pran and Dev Anand were considered a lucky combination, 'the biography says. 


The 1970s saw Pran and Dev Anand doing 'Johny Mera Naam',' Yeh Gulistan Hamara', 'Warrant ' and 'Des Pardes '. Most of these films did good business at the box office. 


Also Read 


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



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 












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