In the pantheon of Indian film superstars, names like Amitabh Bachchan , Rajinikanth, Dilip Kumar, Chiranjeevi, and Shah Rukh Khan are most frequently claimed as the ‘biggest star ever’. But how does one determine which star is bigger? If it is based on success rate, then Dilip Kumar reigns supreme. If the hard box office numbers are to be taken into consideration, then Shah Rukh Khan races ahead. And if ticket admissions are the parameter, then Amitabh Bachchan stands head and shoulders above all others.
Just how impressive this figure is can be gauged by the fact that Amitabh Bachchan, arguably the biggest superstar in Hindi cinema, trails way behind with 60 hits, including 11 blockbusters. Rajinkanth is at the same level with just under 70 hits and a dozen blockbusters. Akshay Kumar, Shah Rukh Khan, and Salman Khan all have 35-38 hits each. Salman has 15 blockbusters, the highest for a Hindi film hero.
Among modern Bollywood stars, nobody comes close.
Called Nithyaharitha Nayakan (the evergreen hero) by fans and admirers, Prem Nazir ruled Malayalam cinema for over three decades. The star created the template for the definitive Malayalam hero that many still follow. This prolificity allowed him to churn out hit after hit for decades.
In a career that spanned from the early 50s to the late 80s, he starred in a record 1000 films, including over 700 films as the lead hero. Prem Nazir gave over 400 hits in his career, including at least 50 films that were labelled blockbusters in Malayalam cinema, according to industry estimates.
Prem Nazir’s stellar career
By the late 1950s, Prem Nazir, now an established star, began to play characters fighting social injustice. He also established a cult following playing Lord Rama, Lord Krishna, and Ayappa in various films. By the 80s, however, Prem Nazir’s star had begun to wane. As Jayan, Sukumaran, Shankar, and Soman took over leading roles, Prem Nazir moved into supporting roles, playing second fiddle to the lead hero. But tragically, his health failed him.
In the 60s, he began to experiment with dramatic roles, notably playing a demented youth in Iruttinte Athmavu (1967). The 1970s saw his most prolific period, when he would film 3-4 films at one time, and wrap each within a few weeks. In 1979, he set the world record for starring in the most films in a year, appearing in 39 films. The superstar was now in his 50s and had rivals 20 years younger. Despite that, he often took on the lead role, including in memorable films such as Padayottam (1982) and Vellarikka Pattanam (1985). In 1988, he expressed his desire to direct a film starring the two new Malayalam stars, Mohanlal and Mammootty. On 16 January 1989, he died after a prolonged illness, having contracted measles. He was 59. His last release was Priyadarshan’s Kadathanadan Ambadi (1990), in which he co-starred with Mohanlal.
