Did you know Pran had refused his Filmfare award for Beimaan as a mark of protest?

Veteran actor Pran is known as Bollywood's best villain of all time. In his prolific career of almost seven decades, he worked in over 350 films. It is his birth anniversary today on February 12. Pran won several awards during his active years including the Dadasaheb Phalke award which he was presented with after he passed away. Amongst other Bollywood's unknown facts, Pran's controversy regarding his Filmfare award for Beimaan will shake you. On the occasion of his birth anniversary, take a look at the time when Pran refused to accept an award in 1973. 

Also Read | Amitabh Bachchan's Best Films With Pran Including 'Majboor', 'Nastik', And More

Pran refused his Filmfare award as a mark of protest 

Pran has been honoured for his negative roles several times. The actor, who made his debut with Yamla Jat in 1940, has received more than 30 awards and even more nominations throughout his career. Pran's awards include the Padmabhushan, Dadasaheb Phalke award, Filmfare awards as well as awards from other different associations. In 1973, the actor refused to accept his Filmfare award as the best supporting actor for his film Beimaan. He stated that the reason for his refusal was that Filmfare award for the best music director should have gone to Ghulam Mohammed for Pakeezah. According to him, he was more deserving than the musical duo Shankar Jaikishan for Beimaan. 

Also Read | Amitabh Bachchan's Last Film With Pran Was 'Mrityudata'; Read More Trivia

During the emergency period, he was amongst the few eminent stars who raised their voice against the emergency along with Dev Anand, I.S.Johar and Shatrughan Sinha. They all wanted the democracy to be restored again and thus protested against the emergency. In his personal life, he was considered as a good human being contradicting the roles he played in films and was thus known as Gentleman Villain. 

Pran's movies 

Pran started off his career with a Punjabi film called Yamla Jat which was directed by  Dalsukh M. Pancholi. He bagged the role after he accidentally met the writer Mohammed Wali at a shop in Lahore. He acted in several films before the partition out of which Taraash and Khanabadosh starring Manorama and him only released in Pakistan after the country was divided. He decided to move to Mumbai and looked for work there. He bagged his first role through Bombay Talkies in Ziddi and the film launched his career in Mumbai. He went on to do several films like Bari Behan, Azaad, Devdas, Madhumati, Johny Mera Naam, Half Ticket and more. His negative role in films was appreciated by the audience and filmmakers. 

Also Read | Amitabh Bachchan's Most Memorable Scenes With Pran In 'Zanjeer'

Also Read | Amitabh Bachchan Pays Heartfelt Tribute To 'Don' Co-star On His 100th Birth Anniversary