Veteran actor Prem Chopra, known for his iconic villainous roles in Bollywood, recently shared an anecdote about how his on-screen persona affected his family. In a past conversation, Chopra recalled that his daughter, Ritika Nanda, was once teased in school because of the negative characters he portrayed.

During an appearance on Arbaaz Khan's talk show 'The Invincible', Chopra recounted the incident from Ritika's school days. She had told him, "Papa, everyone at school tells me you do very wrong roles. Ganda kaam karte ho aap, please stop this". The phrase translates to "You do bad work". Chopra's villain image has followed him for nearly sixty years, and it even once confused his own child.

Chopra explained that he gently clarified the reality behind his frightening on-screen image. He told his daughter that people had accepted him in such roles and that because of these roles, he could afford to send her to a good school and provide a comfortable life. It was, he stressed, a profession.

The actor, who has worked in nearly 400 films, often played characters who plotted kidnappings and murders. However, at home, he was simply a working father. Chopra's commitment to his roles was so convincing that audiences sometimes confused his reel personality with his real one. He even shared an experience where people would hide their wives upon seeing him in public.

Chopra also humorously mentioned how his villainous image initially affected his son-in-law, Sharman Joshi. Joshi, who is married to Chopra's daughter Prerana, admitted that he grew up wary of approaching the daughter of such a famous villain. Sharman joked that he used to get nightmares of Prem ji. Sharman eventually discovered the gentle man behind the stern characters.

Prem Chopra's career has spanned decades, and he has delivered numerous memorable performances as a villain. While he transitioned to positive roles later in his career to expand his opportunities, his villainous roles remain his most iconic. Despite the initial confusion and teasing his daughter faced, Chopra's explanation helped her understand the nature of his work and the distinction between his on-screen persona and his real-life character.