Praveen Kumar Sobti, best known for playing Bheem in BR Chopra's Mahabharat, passes away

Actor-athlete Praveen Kumar Sobti, best known for playing Bheem in the TV series Mahabharat and for winning an Asian Games gold medal, died following a cardiac arrest late Monday evening. He was 74.

The actor breathed his last at his Ashok Vihar residence here.

"He had a chronic chest infection problem. At night, when he started feeling uneasy, we called the doctor at home. He passed away between 10-10.30 PM following a cardiac arrest," a relative of Praveen told Press Trust of India.

Praveen represented the country across various athletic events in hammer and discus throw and even won four medals at the Asian Games, including two gold medals in 1966 and 1970.

He also won a silver medal in Hammer Throw during the 1966 Commonwealth Games.

The athlete gained further popularity after he began his acting career and featured as Bheem in BR Chopra's classic Mahabharat in 1988.

During his later years, the actor joined politics. He contested from Wazirpur in Delhi on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ticket but was unsuccessful. Following his loss in the polls, he left AAP and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

In an interview with The Times of India, Sobti had recalled how he had signed his first Bollywood film. He had got the big break, when he was in Kashmir for a tournament. Surprisingly, his first role was in cinematographer Ravikant Nagaich directorial where the late actor did not have a single dialogue throughout.

He is survived by wife, daughter, two younger brothers and a sister.

(With inputs from Press Trust of  India)