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Before Deepika Padukone, Sabu Dastagir was the first Indian actor to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Deepika Padukone is not the first Indian actor to receive an upcoming star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. That honour falls upon Sabu Dastagir
A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is one of the most prestigious honours a performer can receive — a permanent symbol of success embedded in Hollywood Boulevard, surrounded by legends. So, when it was announced that Indian actor Deepika Padukone would be awarded a star on the Walk of Fame in 2026 in the Motion Pictures category, it felt like a personal win for many and fans quickly dubbed her the first Indian to ever receive the honour. But that’s not entirely true.
While Deepika's achievement is historic in many ways, she is not the first Indian to be immortalised on Hollywood Boulevard. That honour goes to a forgotten icon of classic cinema: Sabu Dastagir, a Mysore-born actor who made his Hollywood debut in the 1930s and went on to become a sensation.
Who was Sabu Dastagir?
Sabu was inducted into the Walk of Fame in Hollywood's golden age in 1960, a full six decades before Deepika’s name would be announced. Born in 1924 to a mahout family (elephant trainers), Sabu’s journey to Hollywood was nothing short of cinematic itself.
He was allegedly discovered by American filmmaker Robert Flaherty, who cast him in the 1937 British film Elephant Boy, based on author Rudyard Kipling's Toomai of the Elephants. With his natural screen presence, Sabu quickly became a staple of Hollywood’s fantasy-adventure genre, starring in films like The Drum (1938), The Thief of Bagdad (1940) and Arabian Nights (1942).
By the early 1940s, Sabu was one of the most recognisable non-white faces in Western cinema, carving a space for himself long before diversity became a buzzword. He became an American citizen in 1944 and even served in the U.S. Army during World War II. However, post-war, Sabu’s career began to stall. Roles dried up. He moved to Europe, starring in lesser-known films. In 1957, he was reportedly in talks to star in Mother India, but was unable to secure a work permit. The role went to Sunil Dutt. He died tragically young in the early 1960s, at the age of 39, from a heart attack, his legacy quietly buried in a Hollywood that had moved on.
Netizens have been fans of the icon for years, with tributes pouring in on his birthday and death anniversary.
Now, as Deepika rightfully takes her place among the global greats, it’s worth taking a moment to remember the young Indian actor who came before her — wide-eyed and ready to conquer the silver screen with nothing but charm.
