Indian actor and professional bodybuilder Varinder Singh Ghuman, best known for his work in Punjabi cinema and appearances in Bollywood films, has died of a heart attack in the northern Indian city of Amritsar, his family confirmed. He was 42.
Ghuman was being treated for shoulder pain at a private hospital on Wednesday evening. His nephew Amanjot Singh Ghuman told reporters that Ghuman suffered a heart attack in the evening, according to the Press Trust of India.
Jalandhar-based bodybuilder Harminder Dullowal told The Tribune that Ghuman had suffered a muscle rupture in the chest area and had travelled to Amritsar for treatment.
He suffered a cardiac arrest during shoulder surgery and could not be revived, a senior doctor confirmed to the outlet.
“We had never expected that he would meet this fate. It is very difficult to accept this loss,” Dullowal said.
His body has been taken to Jalandhar, where his family is based and where the final rites are expected to take place, The Times of India reported.
Born in Gurdaspur district, in the state of Punjab, Ghuman was a prominent figure in India’s bodybuilding circuit before turning to film. Standing 6 feet 3 inches tall, he competed as a heavyweight in the 120 kg-plus category. He won the Mr India title in 2009 and finished runner-up at the Mr Asia contest the same year.
Ghuman also made history as the first Indian to earn an IFBB Pro Card, marking India’s formal entry into the global professional bodybuilding circuit. He remains the only Asian to have competed in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s prestigious Arnold Classic championship.
Known for maintaining a strict vegetarian diet throughout his career, he became one of the most recognisable fitness figures in India, often nicknamed “the vegetarian bodybuilder”.
Ghuman made his acting debut in the Punjabi sports drama Kabaddi Once Again in 2012, before appearing in the Hindi action film Roar: Tigers of the Sundarbans in 2014 and then in Marjaavaan in 2019. He most recently appeared alongside Salman Khan in Tiger 3 in 2023.
The actor had reportedly been considering contesting the forthcoming 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, according to the Times of India.
Tributes have poured in for Ghuman from across India’s film, political, and sporting communities. Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu called Ghuman “the pride of Punjab,” describing his death as “an irreparable loss.”
Former Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa wrote in Punjabi on X that the news of Ghuman’s death left his “heart very saddened”.
“Hearing the news of the sudden demise of Punjab's famous bodybuilder and actor Virender Singh Ghuman ji has left my heart very saddened. With his hard work, discipline, and ability, he illuminated Punjab's name across the world. May Waheguru ji grant his soul eternal abode at His feet and give strength to the family to bear this sorrowful blow,” he wrote.
It’s deeply painful to learn that famed body-builder and actor Varinder Singh Ghuman Ji passed away from a heart attack.
— Pargat Singh (@PargatSOfficial) October 9, 2025
He was a devoted vegetarian, built his body with discipline and grace.
May Waheguru grant his departed soul eternal peace and give strength to his family to… pic.twitter.com/tfeE0hQrZ6
Pargat Singh, a former captain of the Indian hockey team, posted on X: “It’s deeply painful to learn that famed body-builder and actor Varinder Singh Ghuman Ji passed away from a heart attack.
“He was a devoted vegetarian, built his body with discipline and grace. May Waheguru grant his departed soul eternal peace and give strength to his family to bear this loss.”
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