š² First Indian on Hollywoodās Walk of Fame? Meet Teen Sensation Sabu! š
- MediaFx

- Jul 3, 2025
- 3 min read
TL;DR:Ā Long before Deepika Padukone got her star, in 1960, a 16āyearāold Indian kid named Sabu (Selar Shaik Sabu) from Mysore became the first Indian actor inductedĀ into the Hollywood Walk of Fame! š 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 tailāgunner for the USAF. He passed away in 1963 at 39, but his legacy of breaking barriers lives on! š®š³ #Trailblazer #HollywoodHistory

š¬ A Jungle Boy Turned Hollywood Star
So guys, picture this ā a 13āyearāold boy from Mysore, India, working with elephants at the Maharajaās stables š¤Æ. He gets spotted by filmmaker Robert Flaherty and lands a lead in Elephant BoyĀ (1937), based on Kiplingās story! That performance charmed the West and kickāstarted his cinema career š“ #ElephantBoy #KiplingVibes
From there, he starred in classics like The DrumĀ (1938), The Thief of BaghdadĀ (1940) where he played Abu, and Jungle BookĀ (1942) as Mowgli ā all praised and loved worldwide š #TheDrum #Baghdad #Mowgli
š First Indian on Hollywood Walk of Fame
In February 1960, Sabu received his star at 6251 Hollywood Blvd. ā making him the first Indian actorĀ to ever get this honour, decades before stars like Priyanka Chopra or Deepika Padukone š #HistoricWin #IndianPride
This milestone came nearly 65 years before Deepikaās star, showing how ahead of his time Sabu truly was! #TrailblazerAgain
šŗšø From Indian Mahout to American Hero
In 1944 he became a US citizenĀ and served bravely in WWII with the US Army Air Forces as a Bā24 bomber tailāgunner. He flew over 40 missions in the Pacific and earned the Distinguished Flying CrossĀ š« #WarHero #DistinguishedFlyingCross
After the war, his acting career slowed down. He was even considered for the lead in the Bollywood epic Mother IndiaĀ (1957), but couldnāt take part due to no Indian work permit. So wild, no? #BollywoodCall #MotherIndia
ā¤ļø His Lifeās Final Chapter
Sabu married actress Marilyn Cooper in 1948 ā they had two children, one of whom, Paul Sabu, went on to join the rock music scene š¶ #FamilyLegacy
Sadly, he died of a heart attack on 2 December 1963Ā in California, just after turning 39. His last film, A Tiger WalksĀ (1964), was released posthumously š #RestInPeace
š Why His Story Still Matters
Breaking ceilings:Ā Sabu shattered racial boundaries in Hollywood when Asians barely had a space on screen. #RepresentationMatters
Multitalented:Ā He was a natural actor andĀ a decorated war hero ā true hero vibes! #CinemaAndCourage
Forgotten icon:Ā Heās often overlooked in India, but we gotta bring his story back into the spotlight! #RememberSabu
š MediaFx Opinion
From a young workingāclass 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 āpeopleā truly stand for: breaking barriers, serving humanity, and forging identity beyond bordersĀ šš
We salute his courage and call for more recognition in Indiaāhis legacy deserves teaching in our schools, not buried in old book pages! Letās celebrate him, bring forward such legends who stood up for justice and equality through their art and bravery.
Let's Talk!
Whatās your favourite Sabu movie? Or did you even know about him before? Drop your thoughts below ā letās bring the legend back into the convo!













































