4 min readMumbaiMar 19, 2026 10:51 AM IST
Veteran actor Prem Chopra has been in the movies since the beginning of 1960s so when Amitabh Bachchan entered the film industry in the late 1960s, Prem Chopra was already a famous actor. For decades, the two starred in many films together and in a new interview, Prem Chopra, known for his villainous roles, recalled his camaraderie with Big B when they would drink until wee hours of the night. He also spoke about their current equation and shared that Big B checks on his health every single day.
Amitabh Bachchan texts me everyday to check on me
In a chat with The Hollywood Reporter India, Prem Chopra revealed that Amitabh Bachchan checks on him every morning, especially since he returned from the hospital in November 2025. Last year, Prem Chopra was diagnosed with severe aortic stenosis, and the actor underwent a small medical procedure for the same and has since recovered.
Prem Chopra shared that Big B texts him every morning to check on him, “Ever since I fell ill, every morning there is a message from him: ‘Get well soon, Prem’. ‘Prayers for you.’ Maine bola usko, yaar main theek ho gaya (I told him, buddy, I have recovered). But he persists sweetly.”
Prem Chopra and Amitabh Bachchan’s friendship
Prem Chopra and Amitabh Bachchan’s friendship goes back a long way. Revisiting his bond with Big B, Prem Chopra also shared an anecdote and said, “Shashi Kapoor, Shammi Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, and I were once in Delhi for a shoot. We kept drinking into the night. When someone parted the blinds, it was morning! We had a 9 am shift, so we ran immediately.”
Prem Chopra, in an earlier with The Times of India, had spoken about this same incident and said that, during the shoot of Trishul, they were all sitting in Amitabh Bachchan’s suite when Big B was playing the sitar. They kept talking amongst themselves and enjoyed the evening. He recalled how Bachchan decided to call it a night and reminded them about the shoot the next day, only to realise that it was already morning.
Closer to Amitabh Bachchan’s 80th birthday, in 2022, Prem Chopra had spoken about their bond with the same publication. He recalled doing more than 24 films with Amitabh Bachchan and lauded the superstar for his discipline, punctuality, and his craft. Prem Chopra had said, “We used to always be together,” revealing how Big B was great company always. Further praising Big B, the veteran actor had said, “He’s a very courteous, amiable, and nice chap.”
Prem Chopra had also revealed that the first time he saw Amitabh Bachchan in Parwana, he had said, “This man…phaad ke rakh dega (he will change everything)”, and that came true. In another interview with News 18 in 2o23, Prem Chopra had recalled how Big B went out of his way to wish him on his birthday. “Years ago, he was shooting in a desert. He travelled the distance to find a phone booth to wish me on my birthday. I was so touched. Even today, he’s the first to wish me on my birthday,” the actor recalled.
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While Prem Chopra was last seen on screen in Ranbir Kapoor’s Animal in 2023, he revealed in his latest interview that he has been refusing other film offers due to his health. He also added, “Unless something truly extraordinary comes, I don’t feel like doing it.”
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