And Pran : A Biography/Bunny Reuben. New Delhi, HarperCollins, 2005,
446 p., photographs, ISBN 81-7223-466-X.
And Pran : A Biography/Bunny Reuben. New Delhi, HarperCollins, 2005,
446 p., photographs, ISBN 81-7223-466-X.
Contents: Foreword. 1. Destiny lingers at the Pann shop. 2. The beginning. 3. Lahore: a star career begins. 4. Marriage and a new chapter of life. 5. Destination: Bombay. 6. Pran's 'Tryst' with destiny. 7. The fabulous fifties. 8. The family grows. 9. Bollywood and the South. 10. Pran and the 'The big three'. 11. The actor prepares. 12. The preparation continues. 13. The sports lover. 14. The splendid sixties: riding a tidal wave of success.15. Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai: understanding raaka. 16. Shaheed: a landmark film. 17. The turning point: upkar. 18. The family and friends in the 1960s. 19. The splendid sixties draw to a close. 20. The 1970s, scaling new heights. 21. Raja and Rana ride in Victoria No: 203. 22. The Be-imaan controversy: a matter of principle. 23. Zanjeer: setting a new trend. 24. The wheel of life turns. 25. The successful seventies continue. 26. Pran in the 1980s: five decades in Showbiz. 27. Pran: the gentleman villain. 28. The opposite sex. . . and Pran. 29. The real man versus the reel image. 30. In the coolness of the shadows. Epilogue. Appendices. Index.
"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, if 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 mannerisms, unusual get ups, 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." (jacket)