Whether it is the doting, angry father in Bobby or the dreaded villain in movies like Karz and Sanyasi, Amar Prem Nath has left an unforgettable impression on anyone who has spent time movies from the 70s and 80s. Very few actors have a unique signature that they leave with audiences long after the movie is finished. Their performances are etched in our minds for ever. Say Prem Nath and there is a range of characters that pop in front of your eyes. Now you have the chance to the master in action during the Prem Nath Film Festival on Zee Classic this month.
Amar Prem Nath Biopic
As a part of this special initiative, Zee Classic will showcase a documentary-biopic created by his son, Monty Nath, titled ‘Amar Prem Nath’ every Saturday at 11:30 AM.
Prem Nath had strong ties to the Kapoors and was a maternal uncle to Rishi, Rajiv, and Randhir Kapoor. However, instead a of trying his hand becoming a Hero, he chose to essay negative roles, and excelled at it. The man shot to fame with Raj Kapoor’s directorial debut Aag in 1948 as its lead. However, he preferred to thrill audiences as an antagonist in his later movies.
Amar Prem Nath not only wowed the audiences with his performances, but was also loved on the sets and by hi co-stars who held him in high esteem and were surprised by his humility. Reminiscing about the old days, Sashi Kapoor said,
“He would work as an extra for Rs.75. His lunch usually comprised of sugarcane juice and ground nuts. I still remember that he and my elder brother, Raj, would travel in a rickshaw with loud speakers to publicize the play in small towns. Raj Kapoor and Prem Nathji were not only related but also enjoyed each other’s company; they were young and full of enthusiasm.
They would say, ‘Come on people, come watch the play presented by Prithvi theatres with famous actors – Raj Kapoor and Prem Nath’. They would seldom mention the name of Prithviraj Kapoor. After getting his first break in the movie Ajit, he had to return to where it all began. When RK films was being conceptualized, it comprised of the theatre group members like Shankar Jai Kishan, Ram Ganguly and Prem Nath himself.”
Amar Prem Nath was talented and had a wide repertoire of skills at his displosal. His performaces as the villain often overshadowed the character of the protagonist and he came out the ultimate winned in the movie. Manoj Kumar remembering those times and the incidents says,
“He played the role of a villain opposite his closest friend. The villain’s role over shadowed the hero’s role and left a lasting impression. He was not jack of all traits but the master of all traits. He knew 72 raagas. In the film industry there is no actor who even knew 12 raagas.”
Prem Nath Film Festival
A comedian with a smiling face that made you smile with him, and a antagonist who made you jump out of you seat and get your hands on his throat, Prem Nath has given movie experience worth reliving again and again. This November, the birth anniversary month and also the actor’s 25th death anniversary month, Zee Classic brings you the best of Prem Nath’s performances and movies every Saturday at 8.30 AM in November 2017.
Kalicharan – 11th November 2017
Long before Don and Rowdy Rathore, Kalicharan brings a story of a lookalike criminal who is enrolled to complete a mission started by a talented, honest police officer to bring down a crime syndicate in the city. IGP Khanna (Prem Nath) enlists a criminal named kalicharan (Shatrughn Sinha) to uncover the real crime boss after his trusted aide inspector Prabhakar is killed.
Kabeela – 18th November 2017
Shobha lives a poor lifestyle along with her widower dad, Murari, in a village. One day a gypsy, Mangal, comes to her rescue when she is being chased by a bull, both continue to meet and fall in love with each other.
Shortly thereafter she is abducted and taken to a man named Dildaar. Before she gets molested, she is rescued by Mangal, returns home to find that her father has passed away. When she refuses to marry Lalaji, he spreads rumors about her, and the villagers subsequently disown and blacklist her.
She decides to go and live with Mangal (Feroz Khan), who is the son of Sardar Babbar (Prem Nath), at the gypsy camp, but Mangal refuses to have to do anything with her. Subsequently Mangal returns to Shobha, apologizes, and both patch-up. Then Shobha’s life is shattered when she comes across evidence that it was actually Mangal who abducted her, while Mangal himself faces many challenges and may even be killed for betraying his people.
Gautam Govinda – 25th November 2017
Impressed with the dedication shown by Police Inspector Gautam (Shashi Kapoor), the Commissioner of Police assigns him to police a lawless town, which is over-run by criminals, and where no police officer has survived for more than a few days.
Gautam accepts this assignment, and travels to this town. He finds the town is indeed over-run by criminals, and ruled over by arrogant and aristocratic Dharamdutt (Prem Nath). When Dharamdutt comes to know about Gautam, he asks his personal hit-man to get rid of him. The personal hit-man is none other than Govinda (Shatrughn Sinha) – a man who has never been beaten by anyone.
Johnny Mera Naam – 2nd December 2017
Monu (Mohan) and Sonu (Sohan) are the two sons of a police inspector. The kids excel in boxing. Their father gets killed by a goon following orders from Ranjit (Premnath).
Mohan kills the goon and takes refuge in a car boot. Years later Sohan goes on to become a CID officer called Sohan Kumar, who solves his cases taking up different guises.
He takes the identity of Johny a petty thief and gets himself in Jail, befriends Heera (Jeevan) and goes to solve a case wooing Rekha (Hema) and finding the criminal.
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