Ranjeet recalls calling Prem Chopra ‘Thakur’, says the veteran star ‘loves to crack jokes on himself’

Mumbai, July 8 (IANS) Veteran actor Ranjeet took a trip down memory lane as he reunited with fellow screen legend Prem Chopra.

The popular villain of the 70s, through a post on his social media account, revealed that he has always addressed the iconic actor as ‘Thakur’ and described him as someone who “loves to crack jokes on himself.”

Sharing a picture from his visit to Prem Chopra’s residence, Ranjeet penned a heartfelt note reminiscing about their friendship spanning decades.

He wrote, “Sharing old memories with Thakur Prem Chopra, this is how I always address him, went to his house nd had great time, indeed a lovely person, he loves to crack jokes on himself also…”

The picture shows the two veteran actors seated together on a sofa inside Prem Chopra’s living room, with Chopra holding his friend Ranjeet’s arm with affection.

During the golden era of Bollywood in the 1970s and 1980s, Ranjeet and Prem Chopra became synonymous with memorable negative characters.

While Prem Chopra had already established himself as one of the industry’s most feared villains in the 1960s with films such as ‘Shaheed’, ‘Upkar’, ‘Do Raaste’, ‘Kati Patang’ and ‘Bobby’, Ranjeet rose to prominence as a terrifying villain, in the early 1970s with memorable performances in films including ‘Sharmeelee’, ‘Laawaris’, ‘Namak Halaal’, ‘Muqaddar Ka Sikandar’, ‘Rocky’,’ and many others.

Prem Chopra’s trademark dialogue, “Prem naam hai mera… Prem Chopra,” from ‘Bobby’ remains one of the most iconic villain introductions in Bollywood history.

Together, both actors redefined the screen antagonist, terrifying their fans, and often sharing screen space with legendary stars including Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra, Rajesh Khanna, Jeetendra, Vinod Khanna and Shashi Kapoor.

Prem Chopra, who is currently 90 years of age, has acted in more than 380 films across a career spanning over six decades, while Ranjeet, 83, continues to remain active through films, television and public appearances.

Last year, Prem Chopra sparked concern among fans after he was admitted to Mumbai’s Lilavati Hospital due to chest congestion and age-related health complications. He later underwent treatment and made a successful recovery before being discharged.

–IANS

rd/