Dara Singh passes away

MUMBAI: Wrestler-turned-actor Dara Singh, who was battling for life since the last five days, passed away early this morning.

84-year-old Singh was taken home from hospital by family members last night so that he could be with them in the last moments of his life.

"He passed away at 7.30 AM peacefully," Dr Ram Narain, COO, Kokilaben Hospital, told PTI.

Singh was brought to the hospital on July 7 after he had suffered a cardiac arrest and since then he was in the ICU.

From his first marriage, he has a son Parduman Singh Randhawa and from his second marriage he has five children ? two sons and three daughters including TV and film actor Vidhu Dara Singh.

The Commonwealth wrestling champion entered the film industry in the fifties and is known for his roles in "King Kong" and "Faulad". He was last seen in Imtiaz Ali's "Jab We Met" in 2007 in which he played Kareena Kapoor's grandfather.

The veteran actor also played the character of Hanuman in Ramanand Sagar's epic television series ' Ramayan'.