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When we think of the pioneer superstars from the golden era of Bollywood, Amitabh Bachchan, Raj Kapoor or Rajinikanth are among the few names that pop into our mind. Entertaining us for years and giving countless hits these superstars have built an incredible fanbase. But there is an actor who singlehandedly delivered more blockbuster films than all of them combined, however- not many people remember his name today.
The actor we are talking about is none other than the legendary Malayalam actor – Prem Nazir.Prem Nazir started his acting career in 1952 with the film Marumakal, in the same he also came in Visappinte Vili, which gave him wider recognition. From that point forward, he went on to rule the Malayalam film industry for nearly three decades.
Between the 1950s and 1980s, Prem Nazir worked relentlessly and acted in over 720 films—a number that would stun even the most successful actors today.His dedication was unmatchable. There were seasons when we appeared in 30 films in a year.
He was not just doing double shift, infact he was doing triple shifts to match with the shooting schedule. All this hard work gave him around 400 hits, out of which 50 were blockbuster hits- a record that no other Indian actor has managed to break till date.Throughout his career span of three decades, he played and shared the screen with 85 other leading ladies and produced wonderful on-screen chemistry with each one of them.
Through it all, Prem Nazir never felt tired or monotonous in his acting. Everyone in the industry and the audience thought that his acting was so fresh that everyone felt he was starting anew. Not only was he deeply loved by the fans, but he was also well respected and looked upon for his work ethic.
His work and humility stole hearts wherever he went. Both directors and actors adored him for his humble nature despite his major fan following.Nazir’s last movie was Kadathanadan Ambadi, which hit the screens in 1990, a year after his passing.
He died in January of 1989 in Chennai. In his personal life, he married Habeeba in 1944 and had four kids—actor Shanawaz Nazir, Rashida Nazir, Shehla Nazir, and entrepreneur Abdul Salaam Nazir.Even though he is no more among us, Prem Nazir’s legacy to Indian cinema—particularly Malayalam films—remains unparalleled.
His records still hold good today, years after his final release. Unfortunately, with such legendary fame, he does not always receive the credit he should in contemporary discussions on Indian film legends.His movies, his vigor, and his legacy inspire even today.
Prem Nazir may not be trending on social media, but in the hearts of pure cinema enthusiasts, he is still immortal..
