Praveen Kumar (actor)

For other individuals with the same name, see Praveen Kumar (disambiguation)

Praveen Kumar
Born	Praveen Kumar Sobti (1947-12-06) 6 December 1947 Sarhali Kalan, Punjab, India
Nationality	Indian
Occupation	Film actor, athlete
Years active	1972–present
Political party	Bharatiya Janata Party

Praveen Kumar (born Praveen Kumar Sobti on 6 December 1947) is an Indian athlete and film actor. He has played the famous character of "Bheem" in BR Chopra's legendary television series "Mahabharat" started in 1988. He has starred in more than 50 Hindi films. He is an Arjuna awardee and star of Indian athletics in the 1960s and the 1970s Asian games. He contested the 2013 Delhi Legislative elections on an Aam Aadmi Party ticket, but lost. Subsequently, in 2014, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Sports

Praveen Kumar Sobti was a star of Indian athletics in the 1960s and the 1970s. Being 6'7", he dominated the Indian hammer and discus throws for several years. He became a Double gold medalist in discus throwing in the 1966 and 1970 Asian Games holding the Asian Games record of 56.76 metres. He was a silver medalist in the 1966 Commonwealth Games in Kingston and in the 1974 Asian Games in Tehran. He competed in the 1968 Summer Olympics and in the 1972 Summer Olympics.

Acting

Praveen Kumar's debut film was Raksha, a James Bond style Indian movie starring Jeetendra with him playing a large henchman Gorilla inspired by Jaws of The Spy Who Loved Me. He did similar role of large henchman Justin fighting against Jeetendra in Meri Awaz Suno.

Praveen Kumar earned international acclaim when he played the role "Bhim" in B R Chopra's popular mythological tele serial Mahabharata, making him a household name. Praveen Kumar also played the role of "Saaboo" in Chacha Chaudhary (the T.V. series) for a large number of episodes . After the Mahabharata serial, Praveen Kumar got many acting roles in Hindi and regional films, though he is cutting down on his acting career, in able to launch his political career in Haryana and Delhi.

Praveen Kumar was the actor to take the first blow of one of the most successful and famous punch dialogues of superstar Amitabh Bachchan, "Rishte Mein to Hum Tumhare Baap Hote hain, naam hai Shahenshah!" in Tinnu Anand's blockbuster Shahenshah.

Politics

In 2013 Praveen Kumar joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). He contested the Delhi assembly elections from the Wazirpur constituency on an AAP ticket, but lost. The next year, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Filmography

Year	Title	Role	Other notes
1981	Raksha	Gorilla	works for Ranjeet against Jeetendra
1981	Meri Aawaz Suno	Justin	works for Ranjeet against Jeetendra
1982	Ghazab	Henchman	works for Ranjeet against Dharmendra
1983	Hum Se Hai Zamana	Killer
1984	Lorie	Goon
1984	Hum Hain Lajawaab	Henchman
1984	Jagir	Django D'costa
1985	Karishma Kudrat Ka	zorawar
1985	Yudh	Xaca
1985	Zabardast	Goon
1985	Aakhir Kyun	Goon
1986	Singhasan	Kaal Bhairav
1986	Chambal Ka Baadshah	Daaku
1987	Naam O Nishan	Raaka
1987	Khudgarz	Giant at Sports Club
1987	Loha	Shera's Henchman
1987	Hukumat	Goon
1987	Dak Bangala	Goon
1988	Shahenshah	Mukhtaar Singh
1988	Mohabbat Ke Dushman	Killer
1988	Commando	Goon
1988	Maalamaal	Jallad Singh
1988	Agnee	Chief of the natives
1988	Mahabharat	Bhim	TV Series
1989	Santosh	Kundan's Henchman
1989	Mitti Aur Sona	Shingho
1989	Ilaaka	Prisoner - Nagar's hentchman
1989	Shehzaade	Street Gambler
1990	Atishbaz	Kewal & Shamsher's Goon
1990	Ghayal	Bheem Ji	Guest Role
1990	Aaj Ka Arjun	Thakur's Man
1990	Michael Madana Kama Rajan	Bheem
1991	Shankara	Goga
1992	Panaah	Praveen Kumar
1994	Beta Ho To Aisa	J.K.'s Henchman
1996	Jaan	Goon
1996	Ajay	Tiwari
1998	Sham Ghansham	Goon
1998	Train to Pakistan	Goon
2012	Barbareek	Bheem	A Movie Directed by Dharmesh Tiwari

External links

• Praveen Kumar at the Internet Movie Database