| Specifications |
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Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers |
| Author: Bunny Reuben | |
| Language: English | |
| Pages: 446 (Color Illus: 16, B & W Illus: 51) | |
| Cover: Paperback | |
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9.5" X 6.5" |
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Weight 459 gm |
| Edition: 2011 | |
| ISBN: 817223466X | |
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IDF010 |
| Delivery and Return Policies |
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Usually ships in 5 days |
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Returns and Exchanges accepted within 7 days |
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Free Delivery |
For the better part of the twentieth century, he was recognized as the eponymous 'bad man' of Indian cinema. Whether a sadistic despot or a malicious village bully, a dissolute city animal or a wicked anti-national, Pran portrayed the infinite shades of evil with consummate ease. Such was the impact that, it for centuries, not a single person has been named Ravan, then for over three decades after Independence, almost no male child was named Pran, because he was 'branded' as the personification of evil.
While Pran perfected the art of portraying evil in all its dimensions, he also immortalized the 'good' image in some of the most memorable characterizations ever seen on the Indian screen. Whatever the role, each performance was suffused with originality and imagination. By his use of highly stylized mannerism, unusual getups, realistic make-up and different accents, Pran succeeded in rising above the ordinary, in turning stereotypes into unforgettable characters.
This biography unveils the life and times of one of India's most important actors. Not only does it bring to light a career that spans more than six decades and 350 films, but it also presents an intimate portrait of the man behind the image.
About the Author :
Bunny Reuben took to film journalism in the late 1940s, From the 1950s to the 1970s, he was an in-the field reporter and writer of feature articles for the Indian Express group, Filmfare and Star & Style. He was also the founder-editor of Cine Blitz in 1975. Bunny Reuben has several books to his credit including the biographies of the legendary Mehboob Khan, the 'great showman' Raj Kapoor and the 'star legend of Indian Cinema' - Dilip Kumar. A well-known editor once remarked with reference to Bunny Reuben: 'He has raised film journalism to the level of literature.'
| Foreword | 7 | |
| Acknowledgements | 16 | |
| Prologue | 15 | |
| PART ONE | ||
| 1. | Destiny Lingers at the Paan Shop | 21 |
| 2. | The Beginning... | 28 |
| 3. | Lahore: A Star Career Begins | 33 |
| 4. | Marriage...and a New Chapter of Life | 44 |
| 5. | Destination: Bombay | 52 |
| 6. | Pran's 'Tryst' with Destiny | 60 |
| PART TWO | ||
| 7. | The Fabulous Fifties | 73 |
| 8. | The Family Grows... | 91 |
| 9. | Bollywood and the South | 99 |
| 10. | Pran and 'The Big Three' | 109 |
| 11. | The Actor Prepares | 128 |
| 12. | The Preparation Continues... | 142 |
| 13. | The Sports Lover | 156 |
| PART THREE | ||
| 14. | The Splendid Sixties: Riding a Tidal Wave of Success | 173 |
| 15. | Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai: Understanding Raaka | 187 |
| 16. | Shaheed: A Landmark Film | 195 |
| 17. | The Turning Point: Upkar | 206 |
| 18. | The Family and Friends in the 1960s | 222 |
| 19. | The Splendid Sixties Draw to a Close | 231 |
| PART FOUR | ||
| 20. | The 1970s: Scaling New Heights | 239 |
| 21. | Raja and Rana Ride in Victoria No: 203 | 252 |
| 22. | The Be-imaan Controversy: A Matter of Principle | 261 |
| 23. | Zanjeer: Setting a New Trend | 273 |
| 24. | The Wheel of Life Turns... | 292 |
| 25. | The Successful Seventies Continue | 303 |
| PART FIVE | ||
| 26. | Pran in the 1980s: Five Decades in Showbiz | 317 |
| 27. | Pran: The Gentleman Villain | 339 |
| 28. | The Opposite Sex...and Pran | 349 |
| 29. | The Real Man versus the reel Image | 368 |
| 30. | In the Coolness of the Shadows | 383 |
| Epilogue | 395 | |
| Appendix 1: Filmography | 397 | |
| Appendix 2: Awards Won by Pran | 429 | |
| Index | 433 | |
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