Pradeep Kumar (actor)

Pradeep Kumar
Born
Sital Batabyal

(1925-01-04)4 January 1925
Died27 October 2001(2001-10-27) (aged 76)
Years active1947–1998
Known for
Children4 including
Beena Banerjee (daughter)

Pradeep Kumar (born Sital Batabyal; 4 January 1925 – 27 October 2001) was an Indian actor who is recognized for his work in Hindi and Bengali language films. With a career spanning across five decades, Kumar is widely considered one of the greatest, most graceful and regal actors in the history of Indian Cinema.[1][2]

Career

When Kumar was 17 years old, he decided to take up acting. He started his film career in Bengali films.[2] His notable roles in Bengali films were in Alaknanda (1947), directed by renowned filmmaker Debaki Bose, and in 42 (1951).

Kumar then shifted to Bombay and Filmistan studios, and had an important role in the film Anand Math (1952). He played the lead role with Bina Rai in Anarkali (1953) and with Vyjayanthimala in Nagin (1954). Both films were very popular and had songs that added to the movies' success. He worked with Madhubala in eight films, of which Raj Hath (1956), Shirin Farhad (1956), Gateway of India (1957), Yahudi Ki Ladki (1957) and Passport (1961) were massive hits. He had a spate of releases in the second half of the 1950s. He did not enjoy as much success in the 1960s, though Ghunghat (1960), Aarti (1962) & Taj Mahal (1963) were successful. He worked with Meena Kumari in seven films; Adil-E-Jahangir (1955) , Bandhan (1956), Aarti (1962), Chitralekha (1964), Bheegi Raat (1965), Bahu Begum (1967), Noor Jehan (1967) and Saat Phere (1970); with Mala Sinha in eight films; Badshah (1954), Naya Zamana (1957), Detective (1958), Ek Shola (1958), Fashion (1959), Duniya Na Mane (1959), and Mitti Mein Sona (1960).

He also worked with the legendary Bengali actor and matinee idol Uttam Kumar in Grihadaha in 1967 which was produced by Uttam himself and then he worked in Plot No 5.

He did not get to act with the newer heroines of the 1960s such as Sadhana, Saira Banu, Babita or Sharmila Tagore, though he did work with Asha Parekh in Ghoonghat and Meri Surat Teri Aankhen and with Waheeda Rehman in Rakhi (1962). In 1969, he moved to character roles with Sambandh and Mehboob Ki Mehndi. Some of his later films include Jaanwar in 1982 and Razia Sultan in 1983.

Awards

He won the Kalakar Award - Lifetime Achievement Award (1999).[3]

Personal life and death

Pradeep Kumar had three daughters, Beena Banerjee, Meena Chatterjee, Reena Mukherjee and a son Deviprasad Kumar Batabyal. His brother Kalidas (Batabyal) was a director who directed Kumar in several movies. Kumar died in Calcutta on 27 October 2001, at the age of 76. His daughter Beena Banerjee plays character roles in movies and TV serials including Uttaran; her son Siddharth Banerjee worked as assistant director in Sajid Khan's Housefull 2 (2012) and Himmatwala (2013).[4]

Filmography

Hindi

Year Film Role Notes
1952 Anand MathJeevanandFirst Hindi film
1953 Anarkali [5]Shehzada Salim
1954 Badshah
Malka–E–Alam Noorjehan
Nagin [5]Sanatan
Subah Ka TaraMohan
1955 Adl–E –JehangirShiraz
AlbeliPradeep
Hoor–E–Arab
Sitara
1956 Anjaan – Somewhere in Delhi Manohar Nath
Arab Ka Saudagar
BandhanAmarnath
Dhola Maru
Durgesh NandiniKumar Jagat Singh
Heer Ranjha
Jagte RahoPradeepGuest Appearance
Jayshri
PatraniKing Karma Dev
Raj Hath Kumar
Shirin FarhadFarhad
Taj Puran
1957 Ek Jhalak Also Producer
Fashion
Gateway of India Kishore
Hill Station
Miss India Anil
Naya Zamana Kishore Guest Appearance
Yahudi Ki Ladki
1958 Adalat Rajendra Singh "Rajan"
Detective Raja Ghosh
Ek Shola Also Presenter and Co-producer
Police Rangooni and Kiran Kumar (fake Rangooni) (Dual role) Also Co-producer
Taxi 555
Zindagi Ya Toofan [6]Akhtar
1959 Duniya Na ManeRaja
Jawani Ki Hawa [6]Chand
Naya Sansar
Pyar Ki Rahen
1960 Ghunghat [6][5]Ravi
Mehlon Ke KhwabChander
Mitti Mein Sona Also Producer
Tu Nahin Aur Sahi Rattan
1961 Apsara
Batwara Kundan
Modern Girl Prem
Passport[2]Shekhar
SanjogShyamu
1962 Aarti [6][2][5]Deepak
Half Ticket Cameo
RakhiAnand
1963 Jab Se Tumhen Dekha HaiMohan
Mere Armaan Mere SapneKumar
Meri Surat Teri AankhenSudhir
Mulzim Rajesh "Lalu"
Taj Mahal[2][5][6] Emperor Shah Jahan
Ustadon Ke Ustad Dinesh
1964 Baghi Habib
Chitralekha [5]Aryaputra Samant Bijgupt
1965 Bheegi RaatAjay
Mahabharat Arjuna
SaheliKailash and his conscience
Sindbad Alibaba & AladinSindbad
Zindagi Aur Maut Ashok
1966 Afsana Shekhar
Do Dilon Ki DastaanAlso Producer and Co-Director
1967 Bahu Begum[2][6] Yousuf
Noor Jehan[6] Prince Salim
Raat Aur Din Pratap
Wahan Ke LogRakesh alias Prince Ranveer Singh
1969 SambandhUmakant Chatterjee
1970 Harishchandra Taramati
Saat Phere
1971 Mehboob Ki MehndiNawab Anwar Kamal alias Khairuddin "Khairu"
1972 Dur Naheen Manzil Ashok
Mangetar Prakash
SamjhautaBhola
1973 Jalte BadanThakur
1974 HawasShailendra Singh
Shatranj Ke Mohre Manmohan
1975 Chaitali Avinash
Kaagaz Ki Nao Kumar
PratigyaHabibullah
1976 Do AnjaaneSumesh Dutt
ParmatmaGuruji Maharaj "Swami"
Shankar Shambhu Lakhan Singh
1977 Dharam VeerMaharaja Pratap Singh
Hatyara Bhairav Singh
Kalabaaz G. D. Sapru
Safed Jhooth R. S. Prakash Guest Appearance
Shankar Husain Sardar
1978 Amar ShaktiMaharaj Shamsher Singh
Chakravyuha Thakur
Ghata Vasudev Mehra
Khatta Meetha[5] Zarine's father
Tumhari Kasam Anand’s father
1979 Lok ParlokDevraj Indra
1980 Aakhri Insaaf Shamsher
Chambal Ki KasamRaja ThakurGuest Appearance
Khoon KharabaNawab
Main Aur Meri Tanhai
Nishana Surya Prakash
1981 Katilon Ke Kaatil Pratap Singh
Kranti[6]Shamsher Singh
Plot No. 5A Doctor
1982 Chalti Ka Naam Zindagi Khuda Baksh alias Gopal
Honey
Jaanwar Maharaja Kunwar Singh
Teesri Ankh Inspector General Malhotra Guest Appearance
1983 Lal Chunariyaa Shankarlal
Raziya Sultan [6]Sultan Altamash (Iltutmish)
Salam–E–Mohabbat
1984 Duniya Dinesh Verma Guest Appearance
LailaPeer sahab
Purana MandirThakur
1985 Amber Police Commissioner Patel Hindi dubbed version of Bengali film Jyoti (1988) which got released 3 years later
Ek Daku Saher Mein Father
Ganga Ke Paar
Maha Shaktimaan Maharaja Purushottam Singh
Oonche LogThakur Vikram Singh
Salma Nawab Bakar Ali
1986 Angaaray Police Commissioner
Durgaa Maa D. S. P. (Parvati's father)
Mera DharamHari Singh Sengar
Sajna Saath Nibhana
1987 Daku HasinaShamsher Singh
1988 Bhed Bhav Thakur Shamsher Singh
Chintamanee Surdas Emperor Akbar Guest Appearance
Na Bhoole Hain Na Bhoolenge (Parts 1 and 2) Viren "Guruji" Television film; Also Producer and Director
Prem Sandesh Thakur (Raju's father)
Rukhsat Sapna Sehgal's father
Waaris Kishan Singh
1989 Aakhri BaaziCobraGuest Appearance; Hindi dubbed version of Bengali film Mastan (1989)
Aakhri Muqabla Deepti's father Guest Appearance
Mamta Ki Chhaon Mein College Principal
1990 Aakhri Badla Preetam Saigal Hindi dubbed version of Bengali film Swarna Trisha (1989)
Sher DilRam Kumar Saxena
1991 Pyar Ka Sawan Pandit Rajaram
Raiszaada Barrister Kumar
Yeh Aag Kab BujhegiUmrao Singh
1991-1992 Majhdhaar Television series
1992 Pyaar Ka Saudagar Virendra Sinha
1993 VeertaBalwant Rai
1998 Badmaash Police Commissioner Guest Appearance; voice dubbed
Swami VivekanandaVishwanath Dutta

Bengali

Year Film Role Notes
1947 Alakanada
Burmar Pathey
1949 Vishnupriya Nimai
Swami Naren
Debi Chowdhurani Brajendra
1950 Sandhya Belar Rupkatha
1951 Biyallish Ajay
1955 Dassyu Mohan Mohan
1956 Ek Din Ratre Pradeep Bengali version of Jagte Raho (1956)
1957 Tamosha Dharani Mohan
1961 Rai Bahadur
1965 Pratham Prem
1967 Abhishapta Chambal
Badhu Baran
Grihadaha Suresh
1982 Swarna Mahal Jeetendra Singha Roy
Troyee Vikas Guest Appearance
1988 Jyoti Police Commissioner Patel Guest Appearance; Dubbed in Hindi as Amber (1985) which got released 3 years before
1989 Mastan Cobra Guest Appearance; dubbed in Hindi as Aakhri Baazi (1989)
Sansar Das Dubbed version of the Odia film Maya Michara Sansar (1987)
Swarna Trisha Preetam Saigal Dubbed in Hindi as Aakhri Badla (1990)
1990 Mandira Gurudev Guest Appearance
1996 Shesh Pratiksha Shrikant Majumdar

Other languages

YearFilmLanguage Role Notes
1962BantoPunjabi Dr. Kishan
1963Laakho VanzaroGujarati
1987 Micha Mayara Sansar Odia Das Dubbed in Bengali as Sansar (1989).

References

  1. ↑ "Pradeep Kumar movies, filmography, biography and songs". Cinestaan.com website. Archived from the original on 22 July 2018. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 (Dinesh Raheja) Ever the royal Rediff.com website, Published 2 June 2003, Retrieved 16 February 2023
  3. ↑ "Kalakar Awards". Kalakar Awards website. Archived from the original on 20 February 2008. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  4. ↑ "Sajid Khan's starry affair in Himmatwala". Hindustan Times. 9 March 2013. Archived from the original on 13 March 2013. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Sonal Pandya. "The celebrated roles of Pradeep Kumar: Death anniversary special". Cinestaan.com website. Archived from the original on 14 June 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Pradeep Kumar filmography". Upperstall.com website. Archived from the original on 6 August 2011. Retrieved 16 February 2023.