Dara Singh Randhawa was best known as the crowned wrestler of his era. A man of many talents, Dara Singh was born on November 19, 1928. His name is included in the wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of fame. Singh was a true Punjabi and, as a successful wrestler from the Indian soil, he represented his motherland at several World Championships. Sadly, the sher of Punjab left us on this day, July 12, 2012, due to cardiac arrest.
Singh had carved a niche for himself in films and television shows, thanks to his muscular body. Since the showbiz of his time invested more in mythological narratives, the avid wrestler was packaged with roles involving characters such as Lord Shiva or Hanuman. Dara Singh was a celebrated actor and wrestler back in the day, and to commemorate his journey, we reminisce the man who became God.
Singh stepped into the film industry in 1962. He had also directed, produced and acted in numerous Hindi and Punjabi films. We all are aware of his popular stint as Hanuman in Ramanand Sagar’s epic Ramayana, and B. R. Chopra’s Mahabharat, but Singh has done more than one mythological roles which are as follows.
Balram Shri Krishna, an Indian action movie of 1968, has Singh playing the character of Balram, Lord Krishna’s brother.
In 1971, a Bollywood fantasy drama called Tulsi Vivah starred the wrestler as Lord Shiva. The film narrates the origin of the Tulsi Vivah ritual.
Hari Darshan is a 1972 Bollywood religious film with Dara Singh and other artists of Indian film industry, who portray different characters during the time of Bhakt Prahlad. The story revolves around the devotee Prahlad. It also show cases different incarnations of Lord Shri Hari Vishnuji. Here Singh plays the character of Lord Shiva again.
Har Har Mahadev is another addition of Singh as Lord Shiva which came out in 1974.
Bajrangbali is a 1976 Bollywood Hindu mythological film Dara Singh playing the title lead role of Hanuman.
All of these lesser-known movies were directed by only one common name, Chandrakant.
Dara Singh was also the first sportsman nominated as a Rajya Sabha Member by Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), from August 2003 to 2009.
