DARA SINGH: BOLLYWOOD HERO OF YESTERYEAR DIES

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Former Member

DARA SINGH: BOLLYWOOD HERO OF YESTERYEAR DIES

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.

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Former Member

Wrestler-actor Dara Singh Randhawa died here early Thursday morning. His last rites will be conducted around 3 p.m. at a cemetery in Juhu.

The former wrestling champion passed away after a brief illness. He breathed his last at his residence. He was 84.

"We are preparing for the last rites, and they should be done around 3 p.m.," a source close to the family told IANS.

Bollywood celebrities including Manoj Kumar, Abhishek Bachchan, Tabu, Rajpal Yadav, Anu Malik are at present at Dara Singh's residence.

The "Rustam-e-Hind" title holder is survived by his wife and six children - three sons and three daughters. One of his sons, Vindo Dara Singh, is a known name in showbiz.

On July 7, Dara Singh was rushed to the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital by his family members following a cardiac problem. He had been in a critical condition since then. Two days later, he was put on dialysis after his kidneys stopped functioning.

Wednesday night he was shifted from the hospital to his Juhu home as it was his family's wish that he should be at home in the last stages of his life, a hospital official had told IANS.

7/12/124:32 PM

Former Member

Dara Singh

MANY WILL REMEMBER HIS WRESTLING PROWESS WITH TRINIDADIAN RAY APPOLON:

7/12/124:37 PM

Former Member

Dara Singh

A childhood hero to many for his wrestling prowess, 84-year-old Singh, who played Hanuman in epic teleserial Ramayanan and also dabbled in politics, passed away at 7.30 AM at his residence in Juhu in suburban Mumbai

RIP Dara Singh

7/12/124:41 PM

Former Member

I saw him wrestle in Guyana when I was a kid. A legend!

7/12/124:42 PM

Former Member

Wrestler-turned-actor Dara Singh, who passed away this morning, will always be remembered for one of the most exciting fights in the history of wrestling competitions when he lifted an almost 200kg King Kong of Australia over his head and twirled him around.

Dara Singh, weighing 130 kg, lifted King Kong over his head and twirled him around in dramatic fashion. It made King Kong yell at the referee, reminding him that this was not in the rules.

When the referee tried to stop it, Dara Singh virtually threw the Australian out of the ring and he fell just a few feet from the crowd.

His bouts with King Kong invariably attracted huge crowds who were left fascinated by the show of strength and skills.

Apart from Dara Singh and King Kong, Flash Gordon was the third wrestler who ruled the ring in 1950s. The myths created by the press agents made these wrestlers seem to be invincible men, so to see them fighting in the ring was like watching two invincibles trying to destroy each other.

While Dara Singh used to eat enormous number of chapatis, King Kong used to swallow chickens by the dozens.

Dara Singh took part in about 500 professional fights, all undefeated, while competing against some of the greatest names like George Gordienko of Canada, John Desilva of New Zealand and others.

He won the title of 'Rustam-E-Punjab' and 'Rustam-e-Hind' for his wrestling prowess.

The wrestler entered the film industry in the 1950s and is known for his roles in King Kong and Faulad. The veteran actor also played the character of Hanuman in Ramanand Sagar's epic television series Ramayan.