Prem Chopra appeared in hundreds of films over the course of his career and became well-known for his roles as villains. Prem was frequently seen eyeing the hero’s girlfriend, sister, or wife when he wasn’t wrestling with him. Prem has also shot multiple rape scenes with some of the most famous female actors of the time, and he once stated that no one had anything but positive things to say about his professionalism.
In Rakita Nanda’s biography Prem Naam Hai Mera, Prem Chopra, the actor discussed shooting rape scenes and the few bad episodes he’d had. “There was this top heroine who was having an affair with a top hero,” he recalls an incident in which a heroine refused to kiss him. A shot required me to kiss her, and she was initially willing. Her lover, on the other hand, happened to be on the set when we were getting ready to shoot, and he kept signaling to her not to comply. As a result, whenever I approached her face, she would turn away. This continued, take after taking, until I mock-yelled, ‘What the hell! We, villains, are thrown off cliffs, shot by children, and beaten by all the heroes. At the very least, we should be able to reap some benefits.’ It made light of the situation. “When the shot was finally taken, the director exhaled a sigh of relief.”
However, Prem maintained that rape was not always depicted on film. It was communicated via sound effects, intense music, and cutaways to a locked door or the moment after. He did, however, add that so many producers had begun including rape scenes in their films without reason that the government had to step in.
“Do you think I enjoy doing all these nefarious things on screen?” I don’t think so! Violence and sex are current trends, but I am completely opposed to glorifying violence or serving sex as a box office booster. By the mid-1970s, the government had already instructed film producers to reduce violence and rape scenes. “Even films that were already on the floor had to conform to the new center directive,” he wrote in the book.
