Krishan Niranjan, known as K. N. Singh in Indian cinema, was a prominent villain and character actor, who appeared in over 200 Hindi films over a long career stretching from 1936 to the late 1980s.
K.N. Singh excelled in Javelin throw and Shot Put. He was selected to represent India in the 1936 Berlin Olympics before circumstances compelled him to go to Calcutta to attend on his ailing sister. There he met his family friend Prithviraj Kapoor, who introduced him to director Debaki Bose, who offered him a debut role in his film Sunehra Sansar (1936).
K.N. Singh enjoyed limited success until the release of Baghban (1938),
in which he played the antagonist. Baghban was a golden jubilee hit,
establishing Singh as one of the leading villains of the era.
Through the 1940s and 1950s, Singh appeared in several iconic movies of the era, including Sikandar (1941), Jwar Bhata (1944) (Dilip Kumar's film debut), Humayun (1945), Awara (1951), Jaal (1952), CID (1956), Howrah Bridge (1958), Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958), Amrapali (1966) and An Evening in Paris (1967).
As opposed to playing angry mobsters, K.N. Singh mostly played a white collared gentleman villain, dressed in a fine suit and smoking a pipe, with a calm cold delivery. His suave style, baritone voice and menacing eyes became legendary. As an actor, Singh's thirst for learning was legendary. For example, he studied the style and mannerisms of carriage riders to prepare for the role of a horse carriage driver in Inspector (1956).
Singh played prominent roles in movies like Jhoota Kahin Ka (1970), Haathi Mere Saathi (1971) and Mere Jeevan Saathi (1972). His last prominent role was in the 1973 film Loafer. With advancing years, he became less active, particularly from the mid 1970s onwards. Many of his roles from the late 1970s onwards were mere cameo appearances, arranged with the sole purpose of ensuring that actors turned up on time- such was his stature that actors would never turn up late when he was in the sets. His last appearance was in Woh Din Aayega (1986).
Through the 1940s and 1950s, Singh appeared in several iconic movies of the era, including Sikandar (1941), Jwar Bhata (1944) (Dilip Kumar's film debut), Humayun (1945), Awara (1951), Jaal (1952), CID (1956), Howrah Bridge (1958), Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958), Amrapali (1966) and An Evening in Paris (1967).
As opposed to playing angry mobsters, K.N. Singh mostly played a white collared gentleman villain, dressed in a fine suit and smoking a pipe, with a calm cold delivery. His suave style, baritone voice and menacing eyes became legendary. As an actor, Singh's thirst for learning was legendary. For example, he studied the style and mannerisms of carriage riders to prepare for the role of a horse carriage driver in Inspector (1956).
Singh played prominent roles in movies like Jhoota Kahin Ka (1970), Haathi Mere Saathi (1971) and Mere Jeevan Saathi (1972). His last prominent role was in the 1973 film Loafer. With advancing years, he became less active, particularly from the mid 1970s onwards. Many of his roles from the late 1970s onwards were mere cameo appearances, arranged with the sole purpose of ensuring that actors turned up on time- such was his stature that actors would never turn up late when he was in the sets. His last appearance was in Woh Din Aayega (1986).
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