Pradeep Kumar

Pradeep Kumar
Born	Pradeep Batabyal
Occupation	Actor

Pradeep Kumar (Pradeep Batabyal (Bengali: প্রদীপ বটব্যাল)), born in early 1925 in West Bengal, was an actor of Bengali and Hindi films.

Career

When Kumar was 17 years old, he decided to take up acting. His started his film career in Bengali films. His notable roles 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 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) , Taj Mahal (1963) and Aarti were successful. He worked with Meena Kumari in 7 films i.e. Adal-E-Jahangir, Bandhan, Chitralekha, Bahu Begum, Bheegi Raat, Aarti & Noor Jahan & with Mala Sinha in 8 films i.e. Naya Zamana, Hemlet, Badshah, Detective, Faishon, Ek Shola, Duniya Na Maane, Mitti Mein Sona.

He did not get to act in lead roles with the newer heroines of the 1960s like Sadhana, Saira Banu, Babita or Sharmila Tagore, though he did work with Asha Parekh in Ghunghat and Meri Surat Teri Aankhen & with Waheeda Rehman in Raakhi(1963). In 1969, he moved to character roles with Sambandh, but did not have many visible roles till Razia Sultan in 1983.

He won the Kalakar Award-Lifetime Achievement Award (1999).

Pradeep Kumar died in Calcutta on 28 October 2001, at the age of 76. He has a daughter Beena who is an actress, she plays character roles in movies and tv serials, currently acting in popular tv serial Uttran as Vansh & Veers mother

He was so handsome that he was once denied a role of a poor guy because he looked like a prince even in torn & simple clothes.

External links

• An article from rediff.com
• Pradeep Kumar at IMDb