Bollywood star Dara Singh dies at 84
Dara Singh, a wrestler-turned-actor who became one of Indian cinema's biggest action heroes, has died. He was 84.
He died at his Mumbai home on Thursday, according to his actor son, Vindu Dara Singh.
After the strongman performer suffered a heart attack on Saturday, doctors made him comfortable and sent him home for his final days.
Singh was best known for his portrayal of Hanuman, the Hindu monkey god famed for his stature and strength. Singh stood six feet two inches tall and had established his fighting prowess as one of India's top wrestlers, winning the World Wrestling Championship in 1968.
In a popular TV adaptation of The Ramayana, the epic Hindu text, Singh won acclaim for his role as Hanuman. Many scenes depicted him bare-chested in fight scenes and showed off his broad shoulders and toned physique.
"He was Hanuman for every kid and the God of all wrestlers, the original action hero who truly inspired me," Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar said in a tribute on Twitter.
Dara Singh, right, poses with fellow actor Dharmendra, left, and Madhya Pradesh Gov. Balram Jhakar at the inauguration of a new cinema in Mumbai in 2005.Throughout Singh's screen career, which began in 1952 withSangdil, he performed his own stunts. He appeared in more than 115 Indian films, including King Kong(1963) and Darasingh: Ironman (1964).
He also had a brief political career as a member of the upper house of Parliament, the Rajya Sabha. He served from August 2003-2009 for the country's Hindu nationalist opposition, the Bharatiya Janata Party.
India’s Prime Minister was among the celebrities who noted his death Wednesday.
"I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing away of Dara Singh, who has been an inspiration and icon to many generations in our country," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said.
Indian and American-style wrestler
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| Dara Singh fighting with King Kong (Emile Czaja) |
Dara Singh was born in 1928 in the Punjabi district of Amritsar. He spent his youth competing in Indian freestyle wrestling before learning the American version of the sport and moving onto international tournaments.
His film career spanned five decades and his passing drew tributes from across the Indian film community, including star Shah Rukh Khan.
“Wrestlers [are] made of sweat,determination & a hard to find alloy called guts...most apt for Dara Singhji our very own Superman. Will miss u sir,” Khan tweeted in response to his death.
“Had the honour of working with him in Shararat,” actor Abhishek Bachchan posted on Twitter. “The most gentle and kind man. Really looked up to him. Will miss him.”
Singh's last screen role was in 2007's Jab We Met as grandfather to the character portrayed by actress Kareena Kapoor.
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