Who Was Sabu Dastagir? The First Indian-Origin Actor To Receive Star On Hollywood Walk Of Fame

Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone has joined several international legends to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Class of 2026. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, has named 39-year-old Padukone as one of the inductees, in the Motion Pictures category, acknowledging her contributions to contemporary cinema. Many people back home celebrated Deepika's feat, as she is the first Indian actor from the mainstream cinema to get the honour in the iconic boulevard, but certainly, not the first Indian-origin to receive a star on Hollywood Walk of Fame. Sabu Dastagir, the Indian-American actor, earned the accolade 65 years. Here's all you need to know about Sabu Dastagir.

Sabu Dastagir, the first Indian to receive a star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

Sabu Dastagir received a star on Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960 – the first Indian-origin to receive admission in the prominent position on the global stage. Dastagir is largely a forgotten hero among the Indians, but he left an ineffaceable mark in Hollywood before World War II. As a teenager, Sabu appeared in some of the iconic fantasy and action films of the era.

Who was Sabu Dastagir?

Sabu Dastagir aka Sabu, whose real name was Selar Sabu, was born on January 27, 1924, in Karapura, Mysore. He was the son of an elephant driver (mahout) in the service of the Maharajah of Mysore. In his early days, Sabu faced poverty and hardships, but his closeness with elephants played a vital role in shaping his acting career. His journey from a small village to global cinema is commendable.

Sabu Dastagir's cinematic journey

At the age of 13, Sabu was discovered by documentary filmmaker Robert Flaherty, who gave him the role of an elephant driver in the 1937 British film Elephant Boy, the adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's story Toomai of the Elephants. Apart from the film being successful, Sabu was raved for his stellar act, which soon caught the attention of producer Alexander Korda, who signed him for a long-term contract.

Sabu's most iconic role is Mowgli, in The Jungle Book (1942), produced by Alexander Korda. His another role of Abu, the thief, in The Thief of Bagdad (1940), is one of his best performances.

In his career that spanned over two decades, Sabu delivered some of his best acts in classics like The Drum (1938), Arabian Nights (1942), The End of the River (1947), Man-Eater of Kumaon (1949), White Savage (1943), Cobra Woman (1944), Tangier (1944), Black Narcissus (1947), Song of India (1949), Savage Drums (1951), Hello Elephant (1952), The Treasure of Bengal (1954), Jaguar (1956), Jungle Hell (1956), Sabu and the Magic Ring (1957), and Mistress of the World (1960), among others.

Sabu also starred in the adventure film Rampage (1963), which he did before his demise. His swansong was A Tiger Walks (1964), where he had played a supporting role.

Reports claim that he was considered for Sunil Dutt's role in Mehboob Khan’s 1957 film, Mother India. But due to visa and permit issues, Sabu missed the golden opportunity.

Sabu's charm, simplicity, innocence, and screen presence, appealed to the larger audience worldwide.

Sabu's life beyond acting career

Sabu's life was beyond lights and camera. During World War II, he received U.S. citizenship in 1944, and served in the U.S. Army Air Forces. He was a tail gunner and ball-turret gunner on B-24 Liberators. He flew dozens of combat missions and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his heroism.

Sabu's family

On October 19, 1948, Sabu tied the knot with American actress Marilyn Cooper. Both had two children. Paul Sabu, a singer, songwriter, producer, and guitarist and Jasmine Sabu, an animal trainer.

Sabu's death

Sabu passed away due to a heart attack on December 2, 1963. He was 39. He was laid to rest in Hollywood's Forest Lawn cemetery.

Sabu was the first Indian to leave a mark in the West. Later, actors like Kabir Bedi, Om Puri, and Amrish Puri, Naseeruddin Shah and Anupam Kher starred in American films, followed by Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Irrfan Khan, Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone, among others.

Sabu's cross-cultural collaboration and his contributions to the global cinema, will be remembered by the generations to come.