Legendary actor Pran was cremated at the Shivaji Park electric crematorium on Saturday in the presence of his family and a handful of members from the Hindi film fraternity. He was 93.
Pran, Bollywood's beloved villain, died at the Lilavati Hospital here late Friday evening, following prolonged illness.
On his last journey, his body was adorned with flowers. It was taken to the crematorium in Dadar west amid heavy rain and traffic here Saturday morning.
The venue was guarded by ample security, even as only a few members from the Hindi movie industry trickled in for the last rites, which were conducted at 12:30 p.m.
People from all walks of life have expressed grief and condolence on the death of veteran actor.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh condoled the demise of Pran and said, "Pran had entertained several generations of Indians with his riveting performances in hundreds of celluloid roles. His versatility in etching a lasting impression on cinema audience's mind improved with time for which he was bestowed with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award."
"He worked with doyens of film industry among which he was an icon," said Singh, expressing sadness over Pran's passing away.
"I convey my heartfelt condolences to the members of the bereaved family and Pran's countless fans and admirers. I pray for peace of the departed soul," he added.
Amitabh Bachchan said, "A gentleman of the finest order, an admirable colleague, a thorough professional, a master of disguise in the characters he played, a delightful companion after 'office hours’ and a considerate human, Pran Saheb".
"Another stalwart leaves us, and this massive and imposing film industry edifice, tottering by the removal of the giant pillars that held it up, suffers another deathly blow.
"'At this time of our lives’, as a close relative once sadly said ‘we do not make friends any more, we lose them’," he added.
Narendra Modi tweeted, "Sad to know of demise of legendary actor Pran. He will be remembered for generations. Condolences to his family. May his soul rest in peace".
Information and Boadcasting Minister Manish Tewari said, "He did full justice to all the characters he has played during his career. This is a mark of a talented actor. It was my honour that I could respect him with the Dada Saheb Phalke award. Not just the Indian cinema, the entire country has lost a talented and beautiful person. The contribution of Pran Sahab to the film industry will always be remembered".
BJP chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said, "In the last more than six decades, not even a single milestone would be complete without mentioning his role as a villain, as a character artist and even otherwise giving a new life and creativity to the whole growth of our cinema. We mourn his sad demise. He was given the Dadasaheb Phalke award is a matter of assurance, this award ought to have come to him earlier".
Pran's film repertoire included over 400 projects in over six decades of his association with cinema.
He had not been keeping well since the past few months, and he was in and out of the hospital lately.
He is survived by his wife Shukla, sons Arvind and Sunil, and daughter Pinky, as well as his beloved grandchildren.
Biography:
Born on February 12, 1920 in old Delhi, Pran Krishan Sikand was educated in places like Kapurthala, Unnao, Meerut, Dehradun and Rampur, as his father Lala Kewal Krishnan Sikand was in government service.
Pran sahab began his career as a photographer in 1940, but then he moved in front of the camera post a chance meeting with a film producer, who gave him his debut role in a film called "Yamla Jat".
Later, when he moved from Lahore to Bombay (now Mumbai), with the help of renowned writer Saadat Hasan Manto and actor Shyam, Pran got a break in Bombay Talkies' film "Ziddi", in which Dev Anand played the lead role.
That set the momentum for the versatile talent, who brought new mannerisms and style and lent new dimensions to negative characters.
If he played villain convincingly in films like "Madhumati", "Ziddi" and "Ram Aur Shyam", with the same ease he slipped into character roles like the lovable Malang Chacha in "Upkar" or a loyal friend Sher Khan in "Zanjeer".
Among his memorable movies are "Azaad", "Madhumati", "Devdas", "Dil Diya Dard Liya", "Ram Aur Shyam", "Aadmi", "Ziddi", "Munimji", "Amardeep", "Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai", "Chori Chori", and "Chhalia".
In the 1970s, there was almost no major film that did not feature Pran and he was often higher paid than the lead actor.
The versatile actor last appeared on-screen in 1997's Mrityudaata.
During his long and prolific career, Pran was marked for his roles as a villain, hero and even a character artist.
On May 10, he was conferred the coveted Dadasaheb Phalke Award for Lifetime Achievement, the highest honour of Indian film industry, at his home, by union Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari.
(with inputs from IANS and ANI)
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