This cinema legend gave 400 hits in his career, a mark even the Khans, Amitabh Bachchan, and Rajinikanth's combined filmography can't touch
Nobody denies the fact that Shah Rukh Khan has been the biggest star in Bollywood over the last 30 years. The only challengers to that crown have been Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, and Akshay Kumar during this time. Together, these four stars have dominated the Hindi film industry for three decades. But what if we tell you that even the combined count of their box office hits is less than one actor’s. This man is the most successful superstar in the history of Indian cinema, and he is largely unknown to modern day audiences.
India’s most successful superstar
Malayalam cine legend Prem Nazir holds the distinction of having delivered the most hits as a lead actor, probably worldwide. Nazir, who was the biggest name in Malayalam cinema for close to four decades, held the world record for doing most films for the longest time. In a career that stretched from the early-1950s to his death in 1989, Nazir starred in an astonishing 900 films, including 720 as the hero. Cinema historians estimate that over 400 of his films were successful at the box office and as many as 50 were blockbusters. This is a number no actor has ever touched and probably never will.
How Prem Nazir dwarfs superstars like the Khans, Amitabh Bachchan, Rajinikanth
Prem Nazir has given 400 hits in his career. This is impressive because no Bollywood star even has 100 in their career. Amitabh Bachchan, the biggest Hindi star, has 56 hits to his name. Akshay Kumar has 42 while Shah Rukh and Salman Khan have 35-40 hits each. Aamir Khan only has 15 hits in his career courtesy his limited filmography. Even if one adds the total hits of all three Khans, Amitabh Bachchan, and Prabhas, it still falls short of 200, half of Prem Nazir’s mark. His 50 blockbusters are also a mark that is far beyond the reach of other actors. Salman Khan has 15 blockbusters in his career while Rajinikanth has 13.
Prem Nazir’s life and career
Born Abdul Khader in 1926 in the erstwhile princely state of Travancore, Prem Nazir began his acting career in the theatre while he was in his teens. After completing his education, he entered films with the 1952 release Marumakal before playing lead in Visappinte Vili . It was on the set of this film that he was renamed Prem Nazir. He established himself as a debonair heart throb over the next few years. He was equally at home in romantic films and tragedies as he was in mythologicals and historicals. In the 60s and 70s, he was easily the only superstar of Malayalam cinema, delivering over a dozen hits in each of these 20 years.
By the 80s, Nazir, who was now in his late-50s, moved to supporting roles. The emergence of new, younger heroes in Malayalam cinema, also forced his hand. He still managed to deliver hits in his 50s with films like Padayottam (1982). Prem Nazir passed away in 1989 after contracting measles. His last film – Priydarshan’s Kadathanadan Ambadi, was released the following year.
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