Actor Praveen Kumar Sobti, famous for his stint as Bheem in BR Chopra’s mythological television show Mahabharata, passed away on Monday evening after suffering a cardiac arrest at the age of 74. Sobti breathed his last at his Ashok Vihar residence in Delhi.
Remembering his Mahabharat co-star, actor Nitish Bharadwaj, who played the role of Krishna in the epic show, told News18.com, “Praveen’s work association with everyone, especially the people who were working on Mahabharata, was full of positivity. He was a simple Punjabi soul who never indulged into any kind of work criticism, back-biting, petty politics. He would often crack jokes in Punjabi language. I will always remember him for his rustic Punjabi humour, the simplicity of his character and leading a life of gratitude.”
Talking about his last meeting, Bharadwaj adds, “I remember meeting him at a function in Delhi a few years back and I asked him what he was doing these days. He replied, ‘Nitish, I am not doing anything. I am just staying happy and I thank God every moment for giving me all the achievements which I had never dreamt of. God has been really kind to me and I will always be thankful for all the work that I have got.’ So he was a very simple and content person who was never in the rut of greed and ambition.”
Recalling his shooting days, the actor says that Kumar was always open to suggestion and had no qualms of asking something that he didn’t know. “There are some actors who feel that I can do better than others and why should I go and ask something. He would often come with his dialogues which were written in Hindi and ask me, ‘Oye Krishna (Bharadwaj’s character in Mahabharat) ye itni saari Hindi samajh nahi aa rahi hai. Tu please mujhe bata kya likha hai.’ So he had no qualms in accepting that there were things that he could not understand. But he was really brilliant at his job. It was a joy to work with him,” Bharadwaj recalls.
Bharadwaj also says that Sobti was the perfect choice to play the role of Bheem, “He was apt to play this character. I don’t think anyone else could portray the role of Bheem like he did. Bheem’s direct opposition in the series was with Duryodhan (the character played by Puneet Issar). Puneet at that time was the fittest actor. He had a muscular and charismatic personality. So we needed a persona who could counter that kind of energy. So I think the Chopras couldn’t have cast anyone but Praveen Kumar to play the role. His sheer magnum-opus presence was good enough to say that Bheem is better than Duryodhan.”
Before stepping into the acting, the 6’6” tall actor was a hammer and discus throw athlete. He was a four-time Asian Games medallist (two gold, one silver and one bronze) and also represented India in two Olympic Games (1968 Mexico Games and 1972 Munich Games). He was also an Arjuna Awardee.
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