Remembering Prem Adib, one of the popular actors of the early 40's in Hindi cinema, on his 101st birth anniversary today.
Even though many actors like Shahu Modak, Mahipal, Trilok Kapoor, Abhi Bhattacharya, Manhar Desai, Anant Kumar, Baalakraam and Chandrakant have time and again played the Role of Lord Ram on the Silver Screen, no one really made the kind of impression Prem Adib did on the public. He essayed the role of Lord Ram in about 8 films. Bharat Milap (1942), Ram Rajya (1943), Ram Baan (1948), Ram Vivah (1949), Ram Navami (1956), Ram Hanuman Yudha (1957), Ram Lakshman (1957), Ram Bhakt Vibhishan (1958).
It is well known that the only film Gandhi ji saw in his lifetime was ‘Ram Rajya’. This mythological film, released in 1943 was a ‘Prakash Pictures’ production, directed by Vijay Bhatt with lyrics by Ramesh Gupta and music by Shankar Rao Vyas. The actor who played Lord Ram along with Shobhna Samarth (as Sita) in this film was Prem Adib, a name that is still afresh in the memories of Hindi Cine buffs of that era.
