Indian Film History

Why Premnath Moved To Kailash Know Unknown Facts About Bollywood's Iconic Villain's Life

By Indianfilmhistory.com
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An outstanding veteran actor whose acting skills turned him into a well-known star, like famous actors such as Raaj Kumar, Shammi Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, and Amitabh Bachchan. While these actors are known by their full names, only around 10% of cinema fans may recognize the full name of this exceptional talent from Bollywood. He initially pursued a career in the army but his destiny led him to Mumbai. Due to his height, attractiveness, and unique style, he became the filmmakers's favourite, eventually getting a higher fee than even the leading stars of that time. 

In the 1960s and 1970s, he won the hearts of millions with his performances in multiple movies, becoming a famous villain in Bollywood. He became a kind of villain without whom a movie seemed incomplete. His charm and personality made him a heartthrob for thousands of girls.

He featured in several hit movies during that period and shared a special connection with Raj Kapoor. However, a time came when he felt compelled to embark on an expedition to Mount Kailash. 'Mere ilaake mein mujhe dhamakee. ranjeet shaayad tum bhool rahe ho tum kisake ilaake mein ho aur kisase baat kar rahe ho',

 if you are a fan of Hindi cinema, you might recall this dialogue of Premnath. Premnath's complete name is Premnath Malhotra. He was born on November 21, 1926, in Peshawar, Pakistan, but due to the partition, his family moved to Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. His father served in the police, and he decided to send his son to the army. However, Premnath's heart was not in it, and he pursued his dreams to Mumbai. In Mumbai, he joined Prithviraj Kapoor's Prithvi Theatre and became involved in the plays performed there. He was related to Raj Kapoor as he was Raj Kapoor's brother-in-law.

Premnath entered the movie industry in 1948 with the movie "Ajit," which was not successful. However, in the same year, he earned acclaim for his acting in Raj Kapoor's film "Aag" and the 1949 film "Barsaat." He collaborated with all the successful actresses of his time, including Ramola, Madhubala, Nigar Sultana, Suraiya, and Bina Rai

What set Premnath apart was his willingness to play various roles. He enjoyed portraying characters, be it negative roles, character roles, or lead roles. His popularity increased to the extent that at one point, he earned more than Raj Kapoor. There was a time when Premnath's fee was ₹1,50,000, while Raj Kapoor's was charging ₹75,000, Dev Anand 35,000 and Dilip Kumar ₹50,000.

In 1953, during the shooting of the movie "Aurat," he fell in love with actress Bina Rai, and they decided to get married. Alongside Bina, Premnath started a film production company and established their production banner 'P. N. Films.' Unfortunately, their films together did not perform well at the box office, and after some time, Premnath stepped back from film production and focused solely on acting. Premnath's fame in the film industry largely came from villain roles. However, after a while, his films also faced challenges at the box office, and he decided to take a break. He found peace spending some time in the mountains of Kailash and eventually made a comeback.

Premnath Malhotra has worked in several movies, including "Azad," "Johny Mera Naam," "Aan Milo Sajna," "Bobby," "Roti Kapda Aur Makaan," "Nagin," "Bajrangbali," "Jaani Dushman," "Vishwanath," "Karz," and "Hum Dono." He made his last appearance in the movie "Hum Dono." So, these were some aspects related to Bollywood's iconic Vilain Premnath Malhotra's life.

Why Premnath Moved To Kailash Know Unknown Facts About Bollywood's Iconic Villain's Life | Indian Film History