Not Deepika Padukone, this was first Indian actor on Hollywood Walk of Fame, teenage boy from Mysore who made his debut with..., died at just 39, name is..

It’s a proud moment for India as Deepika Padukone has been chosen as a recipient of the prestigious Hollywood Walk of Fame star in the coming year. On Wednesday, Deepika Padukone’s name, along with other renowned personalities, was announced at a live press conference from Ovation Hollywood, Billboard reported. Notably, in 2017, Deepika Padukone made her Hollywood debut xXx: Return Of Xander Cage. She has also been featured in TIME’s 100 most influential people list and Variety’s International Women’s Impact Report. She has also made remarkable appearances at the Cannes Film Festival and the Met Gala in previous years. With her latest achievement, many are hailing Deepika Padukone as the "first Indian" to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. However, the truth is that before Deepika Padukone, there was another Indian actor, the first to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 

Who was the first Indian actor to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame?

Not Deepika Padukone, but Sabu Dastagir was the first Indian actor to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Back in 1960, when Indians working in Hollywood were unheard of, Sabu Dastagir not only made his debut with a Hollywood film but also earned a Hollywood Walk of Fame star. 

Who was Sabu Dastagir? 

Sabu Dastagir was an Indian actor, born in 1924 in Mysore to a mahout (elephant trainer). Sabu Dastagir had fairly humble beginnings; however, his life changed after American filmmaker Robert Flaherty cast him in the 1937 British adventure film Elephant Boy. The film, inspired by Rudyard Kipling’s Toomai of the Elephants, gave Sabu Dastagir's career an exciting start. After Elephant Boy, Sabu Dastagir worked in several fantasy-adventure films, including The Drum (1938), The Thief of Bagdad (1940), Jungle Book (1942), Arabian Nights (1942), and Cobra Woman (1944).

Sabu Dastagir soon became a household name. He got the US citizenship in 1944 and even served in the US Army during World War II. 

Did Sabu Dastagir ever work in Bollywood? 

Post World War II, Sabu Dastagir failed to maintain his stardom and soon disappeared from the silver screen. He was in contention to play the lead role in Mother India (1957), but lost the opportunity due to visa troubles. Sabu Dastagir, born and brought up in India, never worked in an Indian film in his career. At the age of just 39, he sadly passed away in 1963. 

He may be a forgotten name now; however, Sabu Dastagir was the first Indian star in Hollywood who achieved superstardom at a time when non-whites were looked down upon in America. He was also the first Indian actor to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960, 65 years before Deepika Padukone did.

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