Prem Chopra, Bollywood's iconic villain, revealed a painful family betrayal involving a Delhi bungalow he built. Despite feeling hurt by his father's will transferring the property to his brother, Chopra chose not to pursue legal action, showcasing his emotional attachment to family over material disputes.
ONE OF BOLLYWOOD’S MOST BELOVED VILLAINS, Prem Chopra (born 1935) is not a name that needs any introduction. While the public knows the man behind the screen, only a few know about the difficulties and problems he faced in his personal life. One such incident involved a property dispute within his family following his father’s demise in the 1980s. In an interview with The Times of India, the veteran actor first revealed about the painful chapter of his personal life that left a scar on him forever.
Chopra spoke about how a bungalow in Delhi, which he had built with his own money, allegedly went to one of his brothers through a will after his father’s death. He gave more insights about the family relationships and why he refused to take a legal course despite feeling a sense of betrayal. Here’s the story of what left an indelible scar on Hindi cinema’s iconic villain.
Recalling the property dispute, Chopra told TOI in 2014 that his father passed away in the 1980s, leaving him inconsolable at the time. The actor had built a bungalow in Delhi with his own money, although the property was jointly owned by him and his father on paper. The Bollywood actor had also arranged a job for one of his brothers in Delhi and allowed him to live in the bungalow.
Prem Chopra’s father had even put up a nameplate outside the Delhi residence bearing the names of “Prem and Uma Chopra,” referring to the actor and his wife. However, the actor later found out that his father had signed a will transferring the property to his brother, taking away his rights. In the interview, Chopra painfully remembered the incident calling it a “betrayal.” He said he would have willingly given the house to his brother had he been asked, rather than having the property transferred without his knowledge.
He said, “While I believe that my father was not at fault, it hurts me till today as I felt betrayed at that time and till today, I feel betrayed.”
The actor also recalled an income tax raid at the same property a few years later. According to him, officials questioned his brother about how he was living in the house when the property was still registered in Prem Chopra’s name. His brother’s wife reportedly told the officials that the house had been gifted to them.
Chopra was advised to pursue legal action in the matter. However, he refused to take his own family to court. “I will be the last person to do that. If he has a conscience, he will realise,” the actor said.
The story of the Delhi bungalow wasn’t the only property that became the source of disappointment for Chopra. He also revealed that his other brothers had sold two houses he owned in Mumbai without informing him.
According to the actor, the Mumbai properties were sold cheaply because his brothers were in dire need of the money. He admitted that he was unable to manage the situation at the time and described himself as a trusting person. “I have been a trusting man and was emotional about my family. I wanted them to have a certain amount of status and dignity,” Chopra told TOI.
Despite the betrayals, the actor took pride in having helped his brothers in getting settled, directly or indirectly. While his wife and daughters believed he was misused by his family, he maintained that he did not regret helping his brothers and felt content in life.
Born on September 23, 1935, in Lahore, then British India, Prem Chopra was the third of six children. Following the partition of India in 1947, his family moved to Shimla where he spent much of his childhood.
Chopra found his love for acting while studying at the Panjab University when he took part in college dramatics and stage performances. However, his father, Ranbirlal Chopra, who was a high-ranking government official himself, wanted Prem to pursue a secure path of joining the Indian Administrative Services rather than the film industry.
In pursuit of his acting dreams, Chopra moved to Bombay in the 1960s after completing his graduation. The actor recalled, “Although my father felt that there was no future in acting, he allowed me to go to the land of opportunity.”
The Punjabi producer Jagjit Sethi gave him his first break in the Punjabi film Chaudhary Karnail Singh (1960). Chopra gradually move to Hindi cinema playing supporting and negative roles. It was only after his breakthrough performance in Raj Kapoor’s Bobby (1973), that he gained widespread acclaim. The villainous character, which the actor gave his own name, Prem Chopra, became one of the most memorable performances on the big screen. Moreover, his dialogue from the film, “Prem naam hai mera, Prem Chopra” (My name is Prem, Prem Chopra), became one of Bollywood’s most iconic and quotable lines.
In contrast with his ruthless villain characters on screen, the veteran actor has always spoken affectionately about his family. His 2014 interview and his biography, written by his eldest daughter Rikita Nanda, Prem Naam Hai Mera, revealed his emotional attachment with his family and a persona that has eluded the audience who only knew him through the big screen. While he continued to feel hurt over the Delhi bungalow and the sale of his Mumbai houses, he also maintained that helping his brothers settle remains one of his proudest achievements.
[OG/HP]
Suggested Reading:
Subscribe to our channels on YouTube and WhatsApp
Download our app on Play Store