😲 First Indian on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame? Meet Teen Sensation Sabu! 🌟
- MediaFx
- Jul 3
- 3 min read
TL;DR: Long before Deepika Padukone got her star, in 1960, a 16‑year‑old Indian kid named Sabu (Selar Shaik Sabu) from Mysore became the first Indian actor inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame! 🎉 Born in 1924, Sabu started as an elephant handler, was discovered at age 13, went on to star in hits like Elephant Boy, The Thief of Baghdad, Jungle Book, and also served bravely in WWII as a tail‑gunner for the USAF. He passed away in 1963 at 39, but his legacy of breaking barriers lives on! 🇮🇳 #Trailblazer #HollywoodHistory
🎬 A Jungle Boy Turned Hollywood Star
So guys, picture this – a 13‑year‑old boy from Mysore, India, working with elephants at the Maharaja’s stables 🤯. He gets spotted by filmmaker Robert Flaherty and lands a lead in Elephant Boy (1937), based on Kipling’s story! That performance charmed the West and kick‑started his cinema career 🌴 #ElephantBoy #KiplingVibes
From there, he starred in classics like The Drum (1938), The Thief of Baghdad (1940) where he played Abu, and Jungle Book (1942) as Mowgli – all praised and loved worldwide 🌍 #TheDrum #Baghdad #Mowgli
🌟 First Indian on Hollywood Walk of Fame
In February 1960, Sabu received his star at 6251 Hollywood Blvd. – making him the first Indian actor to ever get this honour, decades before stars like Priyanka Chopra or Deepika Padukone 🏅 #HistoricWin #IndianPride
This milestone came nearly 65 years before Deepika’s star, showing how ahead of his time Sabu truly was! #TrailblazerAgain
🇺🇸 From Indian Mahout to American Hero
In 1944 he became a US citizen and served bravely in WWII with the US Army Air Forces as a B‑24 bomber tail‑gunner. He flew over 40 missions in the Pacific and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross 🛫 #WarHero #DistinguishedFlyingCross
After the war, his acting career slowed down. He was even considered for the lead in the Bollywood epic Mother India (1957), but couldn’t take part due to no Indian work permit. So wild, no? #BollywoodCall #MotherIndia
❤️ His Life’s Final Chapter
Sabu married actress Marilyn Cooper in 1948 – they had two children, one of whom, Paul Sabu, went on to join the rock music scene 🎶 #FamilyLegacy
Sadly, he died of a heart attack on 2 December 1963 in California, just after turning 39. His last film, A Tiger Walks (1964), was released posthumously 🌅 #RestInPeace
🔍 Why His Story Still Matters
Breaking ceilings: Sabu shattered racial boundaries in Hollywood when Asians barely had a space on screen. #RepresentationMatters
Multitalented: He was a natural actor and a decorated war hero — true hero vibes! #CinemaAndCourage
Forgotten icon: He’s often overlooked in India, but we gotta bring his story back into the spotlight! #RememberSabu
🙋 MediaFx Opinion
From a young working‑class boy tending elephants in Mysore to a Hollywood star and war hero, Sabu carved a journey that bridges East and West. His story echoes what the “people” truly stand for: breaking barriers, serving humanity, and forging identity beyond borders 👊🌎
We salute his courage and call for more recognition in India—his legacy deserves teaching in our schools, not buried in old book pages! Let’s celebrate him, bring forward such legends who stood up for justice and equality through their art and bravery.
Let's Talk!
What’s your favourite Sabu movie? Or did you even know about him before? Drop your thoughts below – let’s bring the legend back into the convo!
