Actor Om Prakash, who made his audience laugh for 30 years with his acting, was born on December 19, 1919, in Jammu. He started learning classical music at the age of 12. And on 21 February 1998, he passed away at the age of 78.

Om Prakash was interested in theater and films besides music. His programs as 'Fatehdeen' throughout Lahore and Punjab became very popular. He entered Bollywood in the year 1942 when Director D Pancholi found a brilliant talent when both had arrived to attend a common wedding.

D. Pancholi's office was in Lahore. He invited Omprakash to come there. This is how he got his first break in the film Dasi. He has done more than 300 films in his career. In which Dus Lakh, Annadata, Charandas, Sadhu Aur Shaitaan, Dil-Daulat-Duniya, Apna Desh, Chupke-Chupke, Julie, Joroo Ka Ghulam, Pyar Kiye Ja are some of the movies in which he nailed it.

Om Prakash may not have had a shortage of work in the industry but there was a time when at the age of 14, he was ready to work for 30 rupees a month.

Sharing an anecdote of Om Prakash:

A man had a fulsome meal in a modest restaurant in Bombay and when the waiter presented the bill he went straight to the manager and admitted honestly that he had no money. He added that he hadn't eaten for the past two days and was terribly hungry so was forced to do this.

The manager heard his story patiently as the man promised that the day he gets a job the first thing he would do was to settle the bill. The manager smiled and told him to leave wishing him luck. The waiter who stood watching the drama was aghast. He questioned the manager "Saab why did you let him go". The manager replied, "Go and do your work".

A few months later the same man came to the restaurant and settled his pending bill to the utter dismay of the waiter. The man thanked the manager and told him that he had bagged an acting offer. The manager visibly happy offered him a cup of tea and a friendship bloomed between the two. The actor soon became a known face and did multiple films at a time.

Later he owned a bungalow and a chauffeur-driven car. Times had changed but every time he passed by that area he made it a point to visit the restaurant for a cup of tea with the manager who had shown incredible sympathy years ago.

Faith at times does wonders. Had the manager thrashed and humiliated the hungry man that day maybe the industry wouldn't have got a talented and natural actor called Om Prakash.

Along with acting, Om Prakash also tried his hand at film production. He made films like Sanjog, Jahanara, and Gateway of India in the 60s. Om Prakash suffered a heart attack and was rushed to Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai, where he went into a coma. He breathed his last on 21 February 1998.

Remembering the veteran actor on his birth anniversary!
(19 December 1919 - 21 February 1998)