# Prem Nath

Premnath Malhotra, better known as Prem Nath (21 November 1926 – 3 November 1992) was an Indian actor and director, who was best known for his works in Hindi films. Nath made his debut with the film Ajit (1948), and went on to appear in over 100 films throughout his career. He was nominated for three Filmfare Awards, and later retired in 1985.

## Personal life

He was born in 1926 in the Karimpura locality near Ghanta Ghar in Peshawar. His family moved to Jubbulpore (present-day Jabalpur) after partition and he moved to Bombay where he was discovered as an actor.
He fell in love with actress Bina Rai during the filming of Aurat. They married and formed a production company together called P.N. films. Their children are actor Prem Krishen and Kailash Nath (Monty). Premnath dated the famous actress Madhubala but ended it when she became interested in actor Dilip Kumar.
They are the grandparents of actress Akanksha Malhotra and director Siddharth Malhotra who are Prem Krishen's children. Adiraj Malhotra and Arjun Malhotra are the sons of Kailash Nath. His sister Krishna married Raj Kapoor while his other sister Uma was married to veteran Hindi Film actor Prem Chopra. His brothers Rajendra Nath and Narendra Nath were also actors who mostly appeared in comedic and supporting roles. He was also a close friend of the actress Asha Parekh. He died of a heart attack in 1992 at the age of 65.

## Career

Premnath made his film debut in Ajit (1948), opposite Monica Desai, which was one of the first colour films. He got major roles in Raj Kapoor's first directorial film Aag (1948) and Barsaat (1949) which was his first major success. In 1951, Nath starred opposite Madhubala in Badal which was a big box office success. In 1952, he co starred with Dilip Kumar in the swashbuckling technicolour film Aan which was the highest grossing film at the time.
He went on to appear in many films in leading roles often opposite his wife Bina Rai which failed to do well. He set up a production company named P.N films and directed the film Samundar (1957), which was a box office disaster and remained his only directorial effort. His career as a leading man declined in the late 1950s and early 1960s with the 1963 film Rustom Sohrab being one of his last films in the leading role.
He started receiving recognition with playing the central villain or supporting role in some of the biggest blockbusters in Indian film history throughout the 1970s. Some of his notable films included Teesri Manzil (1966), Johny Mera Naam (1970), Tere Mere Sapne (1971), Shor (1972), Bobby (1973), Roti Kapda Aur Makaan (1974), Dharmatma (1975), Kalicharan (1976), Krodhi (1981) and Desh Premee (1982). He also starred in the religious Punjabi film Sat Sri Akal (1977). He earned Filmfare nominations as Best Supporting Actor for: Shor (1972), Bobby (1973), Amir Garib (1974) and Roti Kapda Aur Makaan (1974).
Apart from Hindi films, he also appeared in an episode of the American television series Maya in 1967 and a 1969 American film titled Kenner opposite former American football player turned actor Jim Brown. His last film appearance was in Hum Dono (1985) after which he retired from acting.

## Filmography
### Film

Acting filmography :
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1947 | Daulat Ke Liye | | |
| 1948 | Aag | Rajan | |
| 1948 | Ajit | | |
| 1949 | Barsaat | Gopal | |
| 1950 | Hindustan Hamara | | Documentary |
| 1951 | Awaara | | Cameo Appearance, in song "naiyya teri majhdhar..", Uncredited |
| 1951 | Sagai | Captain Prem | |
| 1951 | Naujawan | Raju | |
| 1951 | Do Sitare | | |
| 1951 | Buzdil | | |
| 1951 | Badal | Badal | |
| 1951 | Aaram | Kumar | |
| 1952 | Aan | Shamsher Singh | |
| 1952 | Saqi | Ajeeb | |
| 1952 | Parbat | Pahari | |
| 1952 | Shokhiyan | | |
| 1952 | Anjaam | | |
| 1953 | Shagufa | | |
| 1953 | Mehmaan | | |
| 1953 | Dard-E-Dil | | |
| 1953 | Aurat | Adil | |
| 1954 | Prisoner of Golconda | | |
| 1955 | Aab-e-hayat | Jalal | |
| 1956 | Hamara Watan | | |
| 1957 | Samunder | | |
| 1957 | Chengeez Khan | Sheru | |
| 1958 | Son of Sinbad | | |
| 1958 | Chaubees Ghante | | |
| 1959 | Jagir | | |
| 1959 | Forty Days | Shankarlal Saxena | |
| 1959 | Bus conductor | | |
| 1960 | Qatil | | |
| 1960 | Gambler | | |
| 1960 | Dr. Shaitan | | |
| 1960 | Apna Ghar | | |
| 1961 | Sara Jahan Hamara | | |
| 1962 | Pathan | | |
| 1963 | Shaheed Bhagat Singh | | |
| 1964 | Main Jatti Punjab Di | | Punjabi Movie |
| 1965 | Jaya | | |
| 1965 | Sikandar-e-Azam* | Chirag | |
| 1966 | Sher E Afghan | | |
| 1966 | Amrapali | Magadh Senpati Veer | |
| 1966 | Teesri Manzil | Kunwer | |
| 1966 | Pyar Mohabbat | Senapati Uday Kumar Singh | |
| 1967 | Mera Bhai Mera Dushman | Prem | |
| 1963 | Rustam Sohrab | Sohrab | |
| 1967 | Baharon Ke Sapne | Mr. Kapoor | |
| 1968 | Kenner | Sandy | American film |
| 1968 | Balram Shri Krishna | Arjun | |
| 1969 | Kamasutra - Vollendung der Liebe | | |
| 1969 | Sati Sulochana | Ravanputra Meghnath / Indrajeet | |
| 1969 | Mahua | Rajkumar | |
| 1970 | Ilzam | Ajit | |
| 1970 | Johny Mera Naam | Ranjit / Rai Sahib Bhupendra Singh | |
| 1970 | The Evil Within | Krishna | |
| 1970 | Pushpanjali | Peter D'Costa | |
| 1971 | Tere Mere Sapne | Seth Madhochand | |
| 1972 | Wafaa | Barrister | |
| 1972 | Shor | Khan Badshah | Nominated - Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor |
| 1972 | Rani Mera Naam | | |
| 1972 | Raja Jani | Diwan Gajendra Singh | |
| 1972 | Mom Ki Gudiya | Vakil Uncle | |
| 1972 | Gora Aur Kala | Prithvi Singh | |
| 1972 | Do Bachche Dus Haath | Captain Saab | |
| 1972 | Be-Imaan | DIG Gopaldas | |
| 1973 | Sherni | | |
| 1973 | Loafer | Pratap | |
| 1973 | Chhupa Rustam | Williams | |
| 1973 | Bobby | Jack Braganza | Nominated - Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor |
| 1973 | Nafrat | CBI Inspector Kumar | |
| 1974 | Amir Garib | Daulatram | Nominated - Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor |
| 1974 | Roti Kapda Aur Makaan | Harnam Singh | Nominated - Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor |
| 1974 | Raja Kaka | Jagmohan | |
| 1974 | Pran Jaye Par Vachan Na Jaye | Mangal Singh | |
| 1974 | Ishk Ishk Ishk | Pahar | |
| 1974 | Chattan Singh | Chattaan Singh / Sher Singh | |
| 1975 | Dharmatma | Dharamdas 'Dharmatma' | |
| 1975 | Dharam Karam | Shankar Dada | |
| 1975 | Sanyasi | Mangal Singh | |
| 1975 | Rani Aur Lalpari | Yamraj | |
| 1975 | Mounto | Boss | |
| 1975 | Dhoti Lota Aur Chowpatty | Imandar Pauwala | |
| 1975 | Dafaa 302 | | |
| 1976 | Zid | | |
| 1976 | Nagin | Sapera | |
| 1976 | Kalicharan | IG Khanna | |
| 1976 | Dus Numbri | Inspector Jaichand | |
| 1976 | Janeman | Ram Bharose | |
| 1976 | Jai Bajrang Bali | Lankeshwar Shri Ravan | |
| 1976 | Bajrangbali | Lankeshwar Shri Ravan | |
| 1976 | Kabeela | Sardar Babbar | |
| 1976 | Nehle pe Dehla | General | |
| 1976 | Aap Beati | Bajrang Bahadur | |
| 1977 | Yaaron Ka Yaar | Nathu | |
| 1977 | The Little Gospel of St. Thomas | | |
| 1977 | Jadu Tona | | |
| 1977 | Darinda | Yogiraj | |
| 1977 | Videsh | Swami Prem Baba / Girdharilal Kapoor | |
| 1977 | Thief of Baghdad | Abu Jangar | |
| 1977 | Shirdi Ke Sai Baba | Som Dev | |
| 1977 | Sat Sri Akal | | Punjabi Movie |
| 1977 | Gyaniji, as also a producer | | Punjabi Movie |
| 1977 | Farishta Ya Qatil | | |
| 1977 | Do Chehere | Qawaali Singer / INSP | |
| 1977 | Chandi Sona | Lord Mayor Jojo | |
| 1977 | Chala Murari Hero Banne | Himself | |
| 1978 | Rahu Ketu | Collector Rahu Nath | |
| 1978 | Vishwanath | GNK | |
| 1978 | Shalimar | Raja Bahadur Singh | |
| 1978 | Kaala Aadmi | | |
| 1978 | Heeralaal Pannalaal | Inspector Prem Lal | |
| 1978 | Bhagyalaxmi | | |
| 1979 | Gautam Govinda | Dharam Dutt | |
| 1979 | Muqabla | Police inspector | |
| 1979 | Magroor | Mamaji | |
| 1979 | Dhongee | John Lord / Gurkha Bahadur | |
| 1979 | Jaani Dushman | Pujari | |
| 1979 | Lok Parlok | Yamraj | |
| 1979 | Ahinsa | | |
| 1980 | Dhan Daulat | Mangat | |
| 1980 | Karz | Sir Judah | |
| 1980 | Suniyasi | | |
| 1981 | Sangdil | | |
| 1981 | Krodhi | Jagira | |
| 1982 | Eent Ka Jawab Patthar | Sevakram | |
| 1982 | Desh Premee | Puthu Anna | |
| 1983 | Farz Ki Keemat | | |
| 1984 | The Gold Medal | Thakur Ranvir Singh | |
| 1985 | Hum Dono | Lata's Father | Final Film Role |

#### Directed films

* Samundar (1957), only film for P. N. Films, home production.

### TV series

* Maya TV series (1 episode, 1967)

## Awards and nominations
### Filmfare Awards

Nominations
* 1973 – Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for Shor
* 1974 – Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for Bobby
* 1975 – Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for Amir Garib
* 1975 – Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for Roti Kapda Aur Makaan