Praveen Kumar (Actor) Age, Death, Wife, Family, Biography & More

Some Lesser Known Facts About Praveen Kumar

• Praveen Kumar was an Indian actor who is best known for playing the role of Bheem in the Indian epic television show Mahabharat. He died of cardiac arrest in February 2022.

• Praveen was good at sports in his school days.

• He often participated in many inter-school games.
  

  Praveen Kumar in his younger days

• After seeing his strength, his sports teacher recommended his name for zonal and state level sports events.

• In 1966, Praveen’s name appeared in the list of candidates shortlisted for the Commonwealth Games (1966).

• Subsequently, he started participating in hammer and discus throw events.

• Being good in height, Praveen had an edge over other players in the game.

• He won his first gold medal during the 1966 Asian Games.
  

  Praveen Kumar with his gold medal in the 1966 Asian Games

• Thereafter, he won several medals; a silver in the Commonwealth Games in Kingston; a gold in the 1970 Asian Games; a silver in the 1974 Asian Games in Tehran.

• Sobti has taken part in the Summer Olympics twice; in 1968 and in 1972.

• In 1981, he made his acting debut with the Bollywood film “Raksha.”

• In 1988, Praveen bagged the role of ‘Bhim’ in the Indian epic TV series “Mahabharat.” The role made him famous.
  

  Praveen Kumar as Bheem in Mahabharat

• He has also played the role of ‘Saaboo’ in the TV show “Chacha Chaudhary.”

• Praveen has featured in many Hindi language and regional films including “Lorie, ” “Hum Hain Lajawab,” “Zabardast,” “Adhikar,” “Raat Ke Baad,” “Tera Karam Mera Dharam,” and “Aaj Ka Arjun.”

• In 2013, he entered politics by joining the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
  

  Praveen Kumar as a member of AAP

• In the same year, he fought the Delhi assembly elections from the Wazirpur constituency but lost.

• In 2014, he resigned from AAP and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
  

  Praveen Kumar as a member of the BJP

• Praveen’s daughter, Nipunika Sobti, once got engaged to the Bollywood actor, Akshay Kumar.

• Owing to his excellence in sports, Praveen was awarded the position of ‘Deputy Commandate’ in the BSF.

• He was the recipient of the Arjuna Award by the Government of India.
  

  Praveen Kumar receiving the Arjuna Award in 1967

• When Praveen was a teenager, there were no gyms in his area, and he used to wake up in the morning at 3 and exercise using the ingots of the mill; that his mother used for grinding the grains.

• Praveen believes that a lot of changes have occurred in sports over the period. During an interview, he said, “I wanted my parents to be proud of my achievements and represented the country in hammer and discus throws in Asian Games and Olympics. I won the discus throw gold medal in the 1966 and 1970 Asian Games. I picked up a silver medal in the 1974 Asian Games at Teheran.” He further said, “There was so much of bonhomie and no threat of terrorists. However, all that changed in the Munich Olympics in 1972. I remember quite clearly I was going to the dining room to eat my breakfast when I heard some gunshots. Later my coach told me that some terrorists had sneaked in.”

• It was Praveen to whom Amitabh Bachchan first addressed his dialogue “Rishte Mein to Hum Tumhare Baap Hote hain, naam hai Shahenshah!” in the Bollywood film ‘Shahenshah.’