Prem Chopra was born in Lahore , Punjab on 23 September 1935.He was the third of their six children and was brought up in Shimla after his family shifted there after India’s great partition. His father had always wanted his son to be a doctor.But Chopra had already started participating in many English and Hindi plays during his time in Shimla .Later on his father told him to complete his graduation and thereafter head to Bombay . Prem Chopra pursued his graduation from Punjabi University , Patiala .When Chopra arrived in Bombay he first got a job in Times of India’s subscription department and consequently started his struggle .He went to many studios but none accepted him . Then one day while travelling in a local train a stranger asked him if he wants to make a career in acting . Chopra replied with a yes and the stranger took him to a Punjabi producer who eventually signed him as a hero in the film .Even after getting the film Prem Chopra didn’t leave his job .He started getting films but they weren’t doing well . Then came along a film titled ‘Shaheed’ in which he played the role of freedom fighter Sukhdev Thapar. But after the film ‘Upkaar’ Prem Chopra could no longer continue with his job . The movie was critically applauded .Some of his other notable performances came in movies like ‘Bhai Bhai’ (1997), ‘Khiladi'(1992) ,’Raja Babu’ and so on .Prem Chopra married to Raj Kapoor’s wife’s sister Uma, and they have three daughters. A legendary villain in most of the 400 movies he has been part of , Chopra’s career spans over five decades . Besides Hindi films, his works also include numerous Punjabi films. His contribution to the Hindi film industry has been immense and he has indeed left an enduring mark which has been very much difficult to repudiate . Prem Chopra’s trade mark dialogue “Prem Naam hai Mera , Prem Chopra” came to him in a film titled ‘Bobby’ which was offered to him by the great Raj Kapoor . Raj Kapoor told him that it is a guest appearance and he had only a single dialogue . Prem Chopra didn’t understand the concept right away but later his co-actor explained to him that if the movie does well then this dialogue will be popular in every household . The rest is history .
