Prem Chopra discharged from hospital, family says actor is healthy

Veteran actor Prem Chopra was discharged from Lilavati Hospital on Saturday night. The 90-year-old was admitted to a Mumbai hospital on November 8 due to chest congestion and other age-related ailments.

His son-in-law, actor Vikas Bhalla confirmed the news to India Today. “He is back home and healthy,” he said.

Vikas had earlier shared with us that Prem Chopra was admitted to the hospital for precautionary measures and his condition was never critical. He said that due to chest infection and existing heart condition, doctors had advised him to be admitted to the hospital.

The 90-year-old actor’s career spans over six decades and includes over 380 films. He is one of the most popular villains in the history of Hindi cinema. His early work consisted of positive roles, but he gained wider recognition for his negative roles in films such as Manoj Kumar’s ‘Upkaar’ (1967) and Rajesh Khanna’s ‘Do Raaste’ (1969).

His famous dialogue from Raj Kapoor’s ‘Bobby’ (1973), “Prem naam hai mera, Prem Chopra,” is one of the most memorable lines in Bollywood history. During his peak years from 1967 to 1995, he appeared in numerous blockbuster films, often sharing screen space with top actors of the era.

Chopra has also made notable performances in ‘Kranti’ (1981), ‘Dostana’ (1980), and ‘Do Anjaane’ (1976), she has often worked with Rajesh Khanna in more than fifteen films. These roles cemented his reputation as a versatile antagonist.

In the later stages of his career, the actor turned to character roles. He acted in films like ‘Koi… Mil Gaya’ (2003), ‘Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year’ (2009) and most recently ‘Animal’ (2023).