Veteran actor Raza Murad has credited legendary filmmaker Raj Kapoor with giving a new direction to his career as a villain, recalling how the filmmaker cast him as Thakur Virendra Pratap Singh in the 1982 romantic drama Prem Rog.
Reflecting on his journey in Hindi cinema, Murad recently took to social media to revisit his association with the prestigious RK Films banner, under which he went on to play prominent antagonist roles in three consecutive productions.
Recalling his role as Thakur Virendra Pratap Singh of Sumergan in Prem Rog, the actor wrote, “My first movie as a villain. Raj Kapoor rediscovered me as a baddie, Thakur Virendra Pratap Singh of Sumergan, in his magnum opus ‘Prem Rog’ in 1982, then again in ‘Ram Teri Ganga Maili’ (1985), and the rest is history. Never looked back after that.”
Murad subsequently appeared in Raj Kapoor’s Ram Teri Ganga Maili (1985), further strengthening his association with the filmmaker and the banner.
His third film under RK Films was Henna (1991), in which he portrayed Shahbaaz Khan, a scheming Pakistani police officer. Looking back at the opportunity to play the principal antagonist in three consecutive productions, Murad expressed gratitude for the experience.
“I consider myself very lucky to have played the main villain in three consecutive films under the prestigious RK banner,” he said.
Over the decades, Murad has established himself as a recognisable face in Hindi cinema, particularly through his performances as antagonists. His filmography includes Tridev, Aankhen, Mohra, Gupt: The Hidden Truth, Jodhaa Akbar, Bajirao Mastani, Padmaavat and Gangubai Kathiawadi, besides the RK Films productions that helped shape his career.
Murad was last seen in the Hindi television series Megha Barsenge.
Recently, the veteran actor also attracted attention after criticising prominent Bollywood stars for their alleged absence from the funeral of actor Mushtaq Khan, who died on September 24. In a video message, Murad questioned why leading figures from the film industry had not turned up to pay their last respects to Khan, who had spent nearly five decades in Hindi cinema.