Question

In which one of the following films did Pran act as a character artist and not in the role of a villain?

• A. Himalaya Ki Godh Mein
• B. Ram aur Shyam
• C. Zanjeer
• D. Madhumati

Hint:

Think of the 1973 film where Pran played a Pathan who befriends the hero instead of opposing him.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Pran spent nearly three decades as Hindi cinema's most reliable villain before a well known image shift in the early 1970s.

1. Himalaya Ki Godh Mein: Pran played the film's antagonist here, continuing his usual villainous casting.
2. Ram aur Shyam: he took on the role of Gajendra, the scheming brother in law who torments the mistreated twin, again a negative character.
3. Zanjeer: this 1973 film cast him as Sher Khan, a Pathan moneylender who starts out gruff but turns into a loyal friend and protector of the honest police officer played by Amitabh Bachchan. This was a genuine character role, not a villain part, and it is often cited as the film that reshaped Pran's screen image.
4. Madhumati: he played Ugra Narayan, the film's central villain.

Zanjeer is the film where Pran stepped out of his villain mould and played a character artist, so option C is correct.