Birthday Special: Special article on Prem Chopra's 88th birthday by Ali Peter John

He was a dissatisfied actor and was more interested in pursuing his job as a junior advertising manager with 'The Times of India'. It was his boss Mr. J.C.Jain who not only encouraged him but also allowed him to close the office and try his luck in films. He got his first break in a Punjabi film as a hero but had to be content with playing a small role in Manoj Kumar's film 'Shahid', marking his long association with Manoj.

His career got a big boost when Rajesh Khanna, who was supposed to play Manoj's younger spoiled brother in 'Upkar', was backed out at the last minute and Prem Chopra was chosen to play the role. Which made him a villain overnight. He played the bad guy in countless films during a time when he had very few films. Raj Kapoor was making Bobby and he thought of asking Prem for a two-minute role as his brother-in-law and a one-line dialogue, “Prem naam hai mera”.

Prem Chopra made him a cult figure. He began a long and successful phase in his career when he started playing the most stupid, meaningless and inept characters in Hindi films made in the South, which earned him millions of rupees but also destroyed whatever reputation he had as an actor. have lost. I have known Prem for over 40 years and I know him to be the sweetest and even the most innocent human being, a very content man, who has married both his daughters and is now married to his wife, Uma. , who lives on the 14th floor of 'Nibhana' with Krishna Raj Kapoor and Premnath's sister, is the only star to live in the Spangled Apartments on Pali Hill, also known as the Beverly Hills of India.

Prem is now 88 years old and I am sure he still has the heart of a child and the mind of a great man in the world.