Actor Praveen Kumar Sobti aka ‘Bheem’ passes away at 75

Actor-athlete Praveen Kumar Sobti, popularly known for his role of Bheem in BR Chopra's TV show Mahabharat, died at the age of 75 in New Delhi on Monday night, as per PTI report. Sobti suffered a heart attack at his home in Delhi. 

Sobti was suffering from a chronic chest infection problem. When he started feeling uneasy at night, his family called the doctor at home. Sobti died between 10-10:30 pm following cardiac arrest, a family member told PTI.  

Aside from playing Bheem, which made him a household name, Kumar appeared in several films, including Amitabh Bachchan's Shehenshah and Dharmendra's Loha. His other films include Aaj Ka Arjun, Ajooba, and Ghayal, among others.

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Not just an actor, Praveen Kumar Sobti served in the Border Security Force before winning medals at the Asian and Commonwealth Games. Praveen Kumar Sobti joined the BSF at the age of 20. Following Sobti's death, the official BSF Twitter account issued the following condolence message:

Praveen Kumar Sobti's athletic ability earned him recognition while serving in the BSF. He competed for India in the hammer and discus throws, winning gold medals in the discus event at the Asian Games in 1966 and 1970. He won silver medals in the Commonwealth Games in 1966 and the Asian Games in 1974. Sobti also competed in the 1968 Mexico and 1972 Munich Olympics.

Coming back to his acting career, Praveen Kumar Sobti's first film role was as a James Bond-style henchman in the 1981 film Raksha. His most notable role was Bheem in the iconic TV show Mahabharat, which aired from 1988 to 1990 and credited him as Praveen Kumar. Sobti also played Saboo in the Chacha Chaudhary TV adaptation. His extensive film credits also include Amitabh Bachchan's Shahenshah, and it was to his character that the iconic line "Rishtey mein to hum tumhare baap lagte hain, naam hai Shahenshah" was attributed. He also appeared in Ajooba, Aaj Ka Arjun, Ghayal, and others.

In 2013, Praveen Kumar Sobti joined the Aam Aadmi Party and contested the Delhi Assembly polls. After losing the following year, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. Sobti is survived by his wife and daughter.

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