Praveen Kumar Sobti, aka Mahabharat’s Bheem, was a gentle gracious man, say peers

Athlete-turned-actor Praveen Kumar Sobti, best known for playing Bheem in the TV show BR Chopra’s Mahabharat and for winning an Asian Games gold medal, died following a cardiac arrest late Monday evening. He was 74.

Sobti was 20 when he joined the Border Security Force (BSF), and later represented the country across various athletic events in hammer and discus throw. The Arjuna Awardee was a two-time Olympian (1968 Mexico Games and 1972 Munich Games) and four-time Asian Games medallist (two gold, one silver and one bronze)

He became further popular with the role of Bheem in BR Chopra’s classic. Later, he worked in many movies including Yudh (1985), Hukumat (1987), Shahenshah (1988), and Aaj Ka Arjun (1990) before moving to politics in 2013.

Actor Mukesh Khanna, who spoke to him last month, says this news is shocking. He recalls that Sobti had the best discipline and a wonderful character in the whole cast of Mahabharat. The actor, who played Bheeshma Pitamah in the show, says Sobti called him “Pitamah and never Mukesh”. He adds, “He was a gem of a person and there can be no one better Bheem than him. Unmein liyakat thi, chichorapan nahin tha. Ek saadagi thi aur zabardast sense of humour tha. I would also like to say that news about Praveen having financial problems is false. It upset him. When I heard about it, I called and asked him and he said, that he had mentioned to someone that he hadn’t got some pension for a while and someone heard that, made it into a news story and twisted his quotes, claiming he was in financial trouble.”

Puneet Issar was emotional when he heard the news. Calling Sobti a “gracious man”, he recalls growing up he looked upto him. “In fact, I had a hand in his casting as Bheem inMahabharat. So, Chopra saab wanted me to play Bheem as I was 6 foot 3 inches tall and well built but I wanted to prove myself as an actor, so I told him I would rather play Duryodhana. Later, they couldn’t get a the right fit for Bheem as his height, body and personality would have to be bigger than Duryodhana, so Chopra saab jokingly told me, ‘If we don’t get the right Bheem, we will cast you in the role!’ I began helping them in their search and then thought of Praveen paaji who is 6 foot 8 inches tall, has a great body and would fit the role.” Issar shares that while on screen they were enemies, on set they were good friends and were in touch till recently.

Nitish Bhardwaj, who played Krishna, admits he would always remember him for “the simplicity of his character”. “He was not into backbiting, petty politics or criticising anyone. He lived the life of gratitude. Few years ago, I met him at a function and asked, ‘How’s it going?’ He said, ‘God has given me more than I imagined. I thank God’. He was an ideal example of living life in happiness and gratitude. He has been a simple man, a true blood dehati Punjabi man with a terrific sense of humour.”

Pankaj Dheer calls Sobti a fine human being and a loving person, inspite of his built and height. “His was shy, which is in contrast with his physique and personality of an athlete but he had a great sense of humour. Chopra saab chose him to play Bheem due to his personality. He was not an actor but worked hard on his diction as he had a heavy Punjabi accent. We would meet on and off. It is sad to hear that he is no more,” he ends.