Professional bodybuilder and actor Varinder Singh Ghuman died of a heart attack on Thursday, his family confirmed. He had played a supporting character named Shakeel, a Pakistani prison guard, in Salman Khan's blockbuster Tiger 3 (2023). Earlier this year, he had shared a video of Salman Khan from Bigg Boss 19, praising the actor for highlighting the devastating Punjab floods on national television and making people aware of the tragedy that struck earlier in the year.
What's Happening
- In the clip shared by Varinder Singh Ghuman, Salman Khan is heard talking about the Punjab floods and the people affected by them.
- Salman says, "Uttarakhand ka kya haal hai, Himachal ka kya haal hai, aur ab Punjab, baar pe baar, landslide pe landslide. Tabaahi machi hai. Yeh jo farmers humaare liye khaana ugaate hain, unke paas anaaj nahi hai khaane ke, unke paas ghar nahi hai. Bahut hi bura haal ho chuka hai. Jitne Punjab ke singers hain, unhone kaafi contribute kiya hai. Personally, jaake - hai toh sab competitors, par sab judh gaye hain - aur bahut kar rahe hain. Hum log bhi yahan se koshish kar rahe hain, jitna kar sakte hain, karenge."
- The caption read, "Salman Bhai supporting and highlighting Punjab floods on national TV so that everyone in the country knows about this tragedy. His organisation, Being Human, is already working in Punjab for flood relief efforts. Thank you, Bhaijaan, for always standing by the needful and affected people!"
How Salman Contributed To Punjab Flood Relief
Salman Khan's Being Human Foundation dispatched five boats to assist in rescue operations in the severely flood-affected areas of Punjab.
While three of the boats were used to rescue stranded residents, distribute food, and assist volunteers on the ground, the remaining two were handed over at the Ferozepur border.
Background
Floods in Punjab in 2025 intensified in late August, between the 26th and 29th, when heavy downpours in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir caused rivers such as the Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, and Ghaggar to overflow. This inundated districts including Ferozepur, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Pathankot, and Kapurthala, submerging farmlands and homes. By August 29, over 1,000 villages were underwater.
The flooding worsened in early September due to continuous rainfall and controlled dam water releases, impacting all 23 districts. It has been described as the worst flood in Punjab since 1988.
About Varinder Singh Ghuman's Death
Ghuman was being treated for shoulder pain at a private hospital in Amritsar when he suffered a heart attack in the evening. The news came as a shock to his fans and colleagues from the film industry. Politicians also paid tribute to him.
In A Nutshell
Bodybuilder Varinder Singh Ghuman died yesterday of a heart attack. Earlier this year, he had shared a video praising his Tiger 3 co-star Salman Khan for helping with Punjab flood relief efforts and bringing national attention to the tragedy.
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