Hindi
…and Pran’ is no more, leaving millions of fans grieving
NEW DEHLI: Veteran actor Pran Sikand, who had been presented the country’s highest honour in cinema in May this year, passed away today after a prolonged illness.
Pran, 93, died in Mumbai’s Lilavati Hospital, at around 8:30 pm this evening. He had been undergoing treatment at the hospital for almost a month for several complications. He is survived by his widow, and his three children and various grandchildren.
Pran had become the 44th recipient of the Dadasabhe Phalke Award when Information & Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari visited him at his residence – a first for the award since its institution in 1971 – on 10 May and presented it to him as the thespian had been forbidden to travel by his doctors..
The only other occasion that a presenting official had come off stage to present the award to a recipient was when the then President did so for showman Raj Kapoor in 1988 when he had a sudden asthmatic attack. The award was instituted in 1969, the birth centenary year Dadasaheb Phalke, considered the Father of Indian Cinema.
During his six-decade career which began in the mid-1940s, Pran gave performances in almost 350 films as a hero, a villain, a character actor, and even excelled in comedy. He made his debut as an antagonist in Dalsukh Pancholi`s Punjabi film Yamla Jat (1945) and went on to essay a number of iconic characters in Hindi cinema after that.
He also acted in super-hit films like Milan, Half Ticket, Barsaat Ki Ek Raat, Devdas, Madhumati, Kashmir Ki Kali, Upkar, Brahmchari, Johny Mera Naam, Purab Aur Paschim and many more. .
He often prided over the fact that a film was often not complete unless he was a part of it, and the star cast always listed various actors and then in a separate slide came the words ‘…and Pran’.
Consequently, his biography by the late Bunny Reuben was also titled ‘…and Pran’..
The citation for the Dadasaheb Phalke award read: ‘This highest award in cinema given by the Government of India is conferred upon Shri Pran for his outstanding contribution to Indian Cinema. His impressive performances have bestowed an entirely unique new dimension to the negative and character roles in Hindi cinema. His contribution to mainstream Hindi cinema is well recognized ensuring him the place of one of the most illustrious and celebrated actors of Indian film industry. During his career, he has given sterling performances in over 350 films and in each one of them, he brought new mannerism and style, holding the audience spell bound by his acting. This citation is in recognition of Shri Pran’s inspiring journey in the Indian cinema spanning over several decades.
The Twitterverse was replete with condolences and messages from various foks including Amitabh Bachchan, the Prime Minister, Shah Rukh Khan, among others remembering Pran. Here‘s a sample:
Amitabh Bachchan: It was Manoj Kumar ji‘s vision that converted Pran Saheb from villan to compassionate powerful character roles ! ‘Shaheed‘, ‘Upkar‘
Mahesh Bhatt: Enchanting memories of Pran Saab courses through the hearts of millions of people who grew up watching his films. India loves u Sir!
Narendra Modi: Sad to know of demise of legendary actor Pran. He will be remembered for generations. Condolences to his family. May his soul rest in peace
Dr Manmohan Singh: I convey my heartfelt condolences to the the bereaved family and Pran‘s countless fans and admirers. I pray for peace of the departed soul
Riteish Deshmukh: RIP Pran Saab – Thank you for entertaining us all these years- will miss you sir. SHER KHAN u will live for ever- RIP Pran Saab
Kareena Kapoor: R.I.P Pran a true legend will never be forgotten.’
Priyanka Chopra: #Zanjeer will miss Sher Khan forever.RIP Pran saheb.Thank you for giving us such a legendary legacy.loss of a legend.prayers and condolences
Arjun Rampal: RIP Pran Saab, you immortalised so many characters, was fortunate to play one of them. You live in my heart forever.’
Sushma Swaraj: With the sad demise of Shri Pran, the country has lost an artist par excellence.
Geeta Kapur: He now lives only through his films…RIP Pran sir
Randeep Hooda: And Pran..RIP, Grew up watching him and always thought he was really the character he played instead of an actor , You walk among us sir..
Anup Soni: Most enchanting, amazing characters, villinious roles.. generations of actors have learned how to prepare a character.. RIP Pran Sir.
Sreedevi Boney Kapoor: Today we have lost a legend, a gem and an iconic actor. We will miss you. RIP Pran Saheb..
Suhasani Haidar:Everyone remembers a #Pran line:I remember “hum bolega toh bolega ki bolta hai” everytime I‘m accused of talking too much! #RIP #kasauti
Shah Rukh Khan: Why do icons who shaped our lives and emotions have to go away? U will sir, remain etched in our hearts. Allah bless ur soul Pran Sahib.
Anupam Kher: Final Curtain Call for one of the Most Loved Actors of Indian Cinema. An Actor & A Gentleman. Pran Saab- We will miss you & your Warmth.RIP.
Tunku Varadarajan: RIP Pran: Villainy never had more character, or style.
In a music industry that often rewards speed, spectacle, and instant recall, Navjot Ahuja’s journey feels refreshingly different. His story is not built on noise. It is built on patience, discipline, emotional honesty, and a quiet commitment to becoming better with every passing year. After 14 years of struggle, learning, performing, and writing, Navjot stands today as an artist whose success has not changed his centre. If anything, it has only made his purpose clearer.
For Navjot, music has never been about chasing fame alone. It has always been about expression. It is about writing more truthfully, singing more skillfully, understanding himself more deeply, and becoming a kinder human being in the process. That rare clarity is what gives his journey its beauty.
Where It All Began: A Writer Before a Singer
Indian singer and songwriter Navjot Ahuja’s musical journey began in the most familiar of places: school assemblies. But even then, what was growing inside him was not only the desire to sing. It was the need to write.
Long before he saw himself as a performer, he had already discovered the emotional release that writing offered him. For Navjot, words became the first true channel for feeling. Songwriting came before singing because writing was the only way he could let emotions flow through him fully. That inner pull shaped his artistic identity early on.
Like many young musicians, he sharpened his craft by creating renditions of popular songs.
Those experiments became his training ground. But the turning point came in 2012, when he wrote his first original song. That moment did not just mark the beginning of songwriting. It marked the beginning of self-definition.
A Calling He Did Not Chase, But Accepted
What makes the latest Indian singer-songwriter Navjot’s story especially compelling is the way he describes his relationship with music. He does not frame it as a career he aggressively pursued. In his own understanding, music was not something he chose. It was something that chose him.
There was a time when he imagined a very different future for himself. He wanted to become a successful engineer, like many young people shaped by ambition and conventional expectations. But life had a different script waiting for him. During his college years, around 2021, music entered his life professionally and began taking a firmer shape.
That shift was not driven by image-building or industry ambition. It came from acceptance. Navjot embraced the fact that music had claimed him in a way no other path could. That sense of surrender continues to define the artist he is today.
An Artist Guided by Instinct, Not Influence
Unlike many singers who speak openly about idols, icons, and musical role models, Navjot’s creative world is built differently. He does not believe his music comes from imitation or inherited influence. He listens inward.
He has never considered himself shaped by ideals in the traditional sense. In fact, he admits that he does not particularly enjoy listening to songs, especially his own. His decisions as a songwriter and singer come from instinct. He writes what feels right. He trusts what his inner voice tells him. He positions his music according to what he honestly believes in, not what trends demand.
That creative independence gives his work a distinct emotional sincerity. His songs do not feel calculated. They feel alive.
The Long Years of Invisible Struggle
Every artist carries a chapter of struggle, and Navjot’s was long, demanding, and deeply formative. One of the biggest challenges he faced was building continuity as the best new indian singer songwriter in an era where musical collaboration is increasingly fluid.
For emerging singers, especially those trying to build with a band, consistency can be difficult. Instrumentalists today have more opportunities than ever to freelance and perform with multiple artists. While that growth is positive and well deserved, it can make things harder for singers who are still trying to establish a steady team and sound around their work.
For Navjot, one of the most difficult phases came during 2021 and 2022, when he was doing club shows almost every day. It was a period of relentless performance, but not always personal fulfillment. He was largely singing covers because clubs were not open to original songs that audiences did not yet know.
For a new Indian singer and songwriter, that can be a painful compromise. To perform constantly and still not have the freedom to share your own voice requires not just resilience, but restraint.
“Khat” and the Grace of Staying Unchanged
After 14 years of effort, Navjot’s new love song Khat became a defining milestone. Professionally, he acknowledges that the song changed how society viewed him as a musician. It strengthened his place in the public eye and altered his standing in meaningful ways.
Yet personally, he remains unchanged.
That is perhaps the most striking part of his story. Navjot says his routine is still the same. His calm is still the same. His writing process is still the same. He does not want success or failure to interfere with the purity of his art. For him, emotional detachment from public outcomes is essential because the moment an artist becomes too attached to validation, the writing begins to shift.
His joy comes not from numbers, but from the attempt. If he has tried to improve his skill today, if he has written his heart out more honestly than before, then he is at peace.
Growth, Not Glory, Remains the Real Goal
Even now, Navjot is not consumed by labels such as singles artist, performer, or digital success story. His focus remains deeply personal. He wants to sing better. He wants to play instruments better. He wants to understand himself more. And he wants to become a kinder person.
That is what makes Navjot Ahuja’s journey so moving. It is not simply the story of a musician finding recognition. It is the story of an artist who continues to grow inward, even as the world begins to look outward at him. In an age obsessed with applause, Navjot reminds us that the most meaningful success often begins in silence, honesty, and the courage to remain true to oneself.
