Actor Praveen Kumar Sobti, Mahabharat’s Bheem, Passes Away at Age 74

Praveen Kumar Sobti, the actor-athlete who rose to stardom as Bheem in BR Chopra’s legendary TV drama Mahabharata, died Thursday, aged 74, in New Delhi. Sobti suffered cardiac arrest at his residence in Delhi, according to the news agency PTI. “He had a chronic chest infection problem. When he started feeling uneasy at night, we called the doctor at home. He passed away following a cardiac arrest between 10-10.30 pm,” a family member stated PTI. Praveen Kumar Sobti was a Border Security Force (BSF) member who represented India at the Asian and Commonwealth Games.

Punjab was the birthplace of the 6’6″ actor as well as a sportsman. Praveen was noted for his massive physique and appeared in several Bollywood films as a goon, henchman, and bodyguard. When he was 20-year-old, he entered the Border Security Force, wherein his exceptional athletic skills drew the notice of his officers, as well as he proceeded on to represent India at numerous sporting events as in “Discus throw.”

Praveen Kumar Sobti entered the BSF when he was only 20 years old. Sobti made his cinematic debut in 1981 in Raksha. However, he rose to notoriety after portraying mighty Bheem within the cult television serial Mahabharat, which aired from 1988 until 1990. Not only that, but the actor additionally portrayed Saboo in a tv rendition of Chacha Chaudhary, a famous Indian comic. Shahenshah, Aaj Ka Arjun, Ajooba, and Ghayal featured Praveen Kumar. Sobti eventually joined the AAP- Aam Aadmi Party in 2013 and then entered the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Sobti proceeded on to have a successful acting career before entering politics. His death was announced on BSF’s official handle of the Twitter account. “Director General & All Ranks of BSF condole the untimely demise of Sh Praveen Kumar Sobti, former Deputy Commandant, Arjuna Awardee, two-time Olympian (1968 Mexico Games and 1972 Munich Games) & four-time Asian Games medallist (2 gold, 1 silver, and 1 bronze),” tweeted the official BSF handle.