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.(Dinesh Raheja) Ever the royal Rediff.com website, Published 2 June 2003, Retrieved 16 February 2023
Career When Kumar was 17 years old, he decided to take up acting. He started his film career in Bengali films. 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).
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).
Filmography Hindi Year Film Role Notes 1952 Anand Math Jeevanand First Hindi film 1953 Anarkali Shehzada Salim 1954BadshahMalka–E–Alam Noorjehan Nagin Sanatan Subah Ka Tara Mohan 1955 Adl–E –Jehangir Shiraz Albeli Pradeep Hoor–E–Arab Sitara 1956Anjaan – Somewhere in DelhiManohar NathArab Ka SaudagarBandhan AmarnathDhola Maru Durgesh Nandini Kumar Jagat Singh HeerRanjhaJagte Raho PradeepGuest AppearanceJayshriPatrani King Karma Dev Raj HathKumarShirin Farhad Farhad TajPuran1957Ek JhalakAlso ProducerFashionGateway of IndiaKishoreHill StationMiss IndiaAnilNaya ZamanaKishoreGuest AppearanceYahudi Ki Ladki 1958AdalatRajendra Singh "Rajan"DetectiveRaja GhoshEk SholaAlso Presenter and Co-producerPoliceRangooni and Kiran Kumar (fake Rangooni) (Dual role)Also Co-producerTaxi 555Zindagi Ya Toofan Akhtar1959Duniya Na Mane RajaJawani Ki Hawa Chand Naya Sansar Pyar Ki Rahen1960Ghunghat Ravi Mehlon Ke Khwab Chander Mitti Mein SonaAlso ProducerTu Nahin Aur SahiRattan1961ApsaraBatwaraKundanModern GirlPremPassport ShekharSanjog Shyamu 1962Aarti DeepakHalf TicketCameoRakhi Anand 1963Jab Se Tumhen Dekha Hai Mohan Mere Armaan Mere Sapne Kumar Meri Surat Teri Aankhen Sudhir MulzimRajesh "Lalu"Taj MahalEmperor Shah JahanUstadon Ke UstadDinesh1964BaghiHabibChitralekha Aryaputra Samant Bijgupt1965Bheegi Raat Ajay MahabharatArjunaSaheli Kailash and his conscienceSindbad Alibaba & Aladin Sindbad Zindagi Aur MautAshok1966AfsanaShekharDo Dilon Ki Dastaan Also Producer and Co-Director1967Bahu BegumYousufNoor JehanPrince SalimRaat Aur DinPratapWahan Ke Log Rakesh alias Prince Ranveer Singh1969Sambandh Umakant Chatterjee1970Harishchandra TaramatiSaat Phere 1971Mehboob Ki Mehndi Nawab Anwar Kamal alias Khairuddin "Khairu" 1972Dur Naheen ManzilAshokMangetarPrakashSamjhauta Bhola1973Jalte Badan Thakur 1974Hawas Shailendra Singh Shatranj Ke MohreManmohan1975ChaitaliAvinashKaagaz Ki NaoKumar Pratigya Habibullah1976Do Anjaane Sumesh Dutt Parmatma Guruji Maharaj "Swami" Shankar ShambhuLakhan Singh1977Dharam Veer Maharaja Pratap SinghHatyaraBhairav SinghKalabaazG. D. SapruSafed JhoothR. S. PrakashGuest AppearanceShankar HusainSardar1978Amar Shakti Maharaj Shamsher SinghChakravyuhaThakurGhataVasudev MehraKhatta MeethaZarine's fatherTumhari KasamAnand’s father1979Lok Parlok Devraj Indra 1980Aakhri InsaafShamsherChambal Ki Kasam Raja Thakur Guest AppearanceKhoon Kharaba NawabMain Aur Meri TanhaiNishanaSurya Prakash1981Katilon Ke KaatilPratap SinghKranti Shamsher SinghPlot No. 5 A Doctor1982Chalti Ka Naam ZindagiKhuda Baksh alias GopalHoneyJaanwarMaharaja Kunwar SinghTeesri AnkhInspector General MalhotraGuest Appearance1983Lal ChunariyaaShankarlalRaziya Sultan Sultan Altamash (Iltutmish)Salam–E–Mohabbat1984DuniyaDinesh VermaGuest Appearance Laila Peer sahabPurana Mandir Thakur 1985AmberPolice Commissioner PatelHindi dubbed version of Bengali film Jyoti (1988) which got released 3 years laterEk Daku Saher MeinFatherGanga Ke PaarMaha ShaktimaanMaharaja Purushottam SinghOonche Log Thakur Vikram SinghSalmaNawab Bakar Ali1986AngaarayPolice CommissionerDurgaa MaaD. S. P. (Parvati's father)Mera Dharam Hari Singh SengarSajna Saath Nibhana1987Daku Hasina Shamsher Singh 1988Bhed BhavThakur Shamsher SinghChintamanee SurdasEmperor AkbarGuest AppearanceNa Bhoole Hain Na Bhoolenge (Parts 1 and 2)Viren "Guruji"Television film; Also Producer and DirectorPrem SandeshThakur (Raju's father)RukhsatSapna Sehgal's fatherWaarisKishan Singh 1989Aakhri Baazi Cobra Guest Appearance; Hindi dubbed version of Bengali film Mastan (1989)Aakhri MuqablaDeepti's fatherGuest AppearanceMamta Ki Chhaon MeinCollege Principal1990Aakhri BadlaPreetam SaigalHindi dubbed version of Bengali film Swarna Trisha (1989) Sher Dil Ram Kumar Saxena1991Pyar Ka SawanPandit RajaramRaiszaadaBarrister KumarYeh Aag Kab Bujhegi Umrao Singh1991-1992MajhdhaarTelevision series1992Pyaar Ka SaudagarVirendra Sinha 1993Veerta Balwant Rai 1998BadmaashPolice CommissionerGuest Appearance; voice dubbed Swami Vivekananda Vishwanath Dutta
Bengali Year Film Role Notes1947Alakanada Burmar Pathey1949VishnupriyaNimai Swami Naren Debi Chowdhurani Brajendra 1950 Sandhya Belar Rupkatha 1951 BiyallishAjay 1955 Dassyu Mohan Mohan1956Ek Din RatrePradeepBengali version of Jagte Raho (1956)1957TamoshaDharani Mohan1961Rai Bahadur1965Pratham Prem1967Abhishapta ChambalBadhu BaranGrihadahaSuresh1982Swarna MahalJeetendra Singha RoyTroyeeVikasGuest Appearance1988JyotiPolice Commissioner PatelGuest Appearance; Dubbed in Hindi as Amber (1985) which got released 3 years before1989MastanCobraGuest Appearance; dubbed in Hindi as Aakhri Baazi (1989)SansarDasDubbed version of the Odia film Maya Michara Sansar (1987)Swarna TrishaPreetam SaigalDubbed in Hindi as Aakhri Badla (1990)1990MandiraGurudevGuest Appearance1996Shesh PratikshaShrikant Majumdar
Other languages Year Film LanguageRoleNotes 1962 Banto PunjabiDr. Kishan 1963 Laakho Vanzaro Gujarati1987Micha Mayara SansarOdiaDasDubbed in Bengali as Sansar (1989).
References
External links An article from rediff.com