Veteran Actor Prem Chopra Reflects on His Career and Changing Dynamics of Villains in Cinema

According to veteran actor Prem Chopra, villains add interest to a story, but unlike the black and white depictions of bad characters in the past, they have a backstory in modern movies.

The 88-year-old actor, who played villains in movies from the 1970s and 1980s, is getting recognition for his cameo in "Animal," directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga.

Chopra used his 1973 hit song "Bobby" as an example of why he thought the negative characters in earlier films were not justified. Leading roles in the Raj Kapoor-directed movie were played by Rishi Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia.

"We were labeled as the villains back then... The veteran actor told PTI in an interview that "it was in a straight way, whether Prem Chopra, Amrish Puri, Pran sahab, or anyone else, it was like, 'Yeh gadbad karne wale hain' (people knew that we were up to some mischief)."

For example, I only had one line of dialogue in "Bobby," but it was a huge hit. Kapoor Raj didn't need to elaborate. He recalled his most well-known line, "Prem naam hai mera, Prem Chopra," and said, "People knew that he was going to do something."

However, Chopra claimed that "Animal" provided a rationale for Ranbir's retaliation.

"The antagonistic characters (from before) added interest to the story. This is still the case today. They play a crucial role in the movie. The distinction these days is that each antagonistic character has a backstory that explains how and why he turned into a villain.

"In ‘Animal’, there’s a reason why he (Ranbir) is like this and that’s because his father was shot and he had to take revenge," the actor explained.

The violent world of "Animal," directed by Vanga of "Arjun Reddy" fame, is juxtaposed with the tumultuous relationship between Ranvijay and his father Balbir Singh, played by Anil Kapoor.

Chopra, whose 60-year career has seen him appear in numerous well-known films, including "Do Raaste," "Purab aur Paschim," "Teesri Manzil," "Kati Patang," "Souten," and "Trishul," portrays the older brother of Ranbir Kapoor's grandfather. Regardless of a role's positive or negative aspects, the movie veteran feels that viewers are now more appreciative of a well-done performance.

"People are now free and appreciative of good reasons when they are given them. People had trouble adjusting to the actors portraying the negative roles a while back.

"They were skeptical when someone who usually portrays a negative character was playing a positive one. Actors are accepted in Hollywood for both types of roles—completely positive and completely negative—as long as they deliver a strong performance. The audience is now more knowledgeable about these topics thanks to TV and other media (all OTT platforms)," he said.

Ranbir's performance in the action drama was also commended by the actor. "Animal" is the pair's second joint project following the comedy-drama "Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year" in 2009.

"Ranbir is an extremely dedicated actor who gave a fantastic performance in "Rocket Singh." He is amazing in the movie "Animal." He performed admirably. It's an extremely challenging and intricate role.

"Even though it is action-packed, the character's backstory is excellent. He appears to be incredibly popular. Not only that, but Bobby Deol gives a great special appearance as well. They all have a significant impact. Chopra has collaborated on films with four generations of the Kapoor family: Prithviraj, Raj, Randhir, and Rishi Kapoor; more recently, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Ranbir Kapoor.

While all of his co-stars from the Kapoor family are seasoned pros, Rishi Kapoor—who lost his fight with leukemia in April 2020—was his favorite.

"Some of them gave outstanding performances. For example, Raj Kapoor was a well-known superstar and brilliant director, and Prithviraj ji was regarded as the great actor. Shammi Kapoor worked in a unique way. But my favorite was Rishi Kapoor.

"When he was working, he was very involved. He could easily blend in with any character. He was a fantastic asset to any movie he worked on, the speaker continued.

Despite going through his fair share of highs and lows, the actor claimed to have survived in the film industry.

"I have over 60 years of experience in this field. I give thanks to God. I've never treated clients unfairly. For me, every movie was an exam. I have a strong work ethic, integrity, and willpower. You have to carry on with your work despite the numerous scandals and embarrassments, he said.

In the future, Chopra expressed his eagerness to undertake specialized work akin to that of Hollywood classic "Godfather" star Marlon Brando.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Press Time staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.