Saurav Gurjar

2021-04-25T03:02:38Z

2401:4900:51C7:E47B:E162:60C:3088:E123:

{{short description|Indian professional wrestler and actor}}
{{BLP sources|date=June 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2016}}
{{Infobox professional wrestler
|name = Saurav Gurjar
|image =
|caption =
|birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|31|2017|4|29}}<ref name=HT/>
|resides = [[Orlando, Florida]], [[United States]]
|names = Deadly Danda <br/>Saurav Gurjar <br/>'''Saurav'''
|billed = [[India]]
|height = 2.03 m<ref name="Hindu"/>
|weight = 135 kg<ref name="TOI"/>
|trainer =
|debut = 2011
|retired =
|website =
|born city = dabra
}}
'''Saurav Gurjar''' is an Indian [[professional wrestler]] and actor, currently signed with [[WWE]] and performs on their [[NXT (WWE brand)|NXT]] brand under the ring name '''Saurav'''. He is best known for his role as [[Bhima|Bheem]] in the TV show ''[[Mahabharat (2013 TV series)|Mahabharat]]''.<ref name="TOI">{{cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/Saurav-Singh-Gurjar-Mahabharat-Bheem-Siddharth-Kumar-Tewary-Rahul-Kumar-Tewary/articleshow/26741925.cms|title=Spot boys run away from me: Saurav Singh Gurjar|work=[[The Times of India]]|date=2 December 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/My-build-got-me-Mahabharat-role-Wrestler-Saurav-Gurjar/articleshow/34919247.cms|title=My build got me 'Mahabharat' role: Wrestler Saurav Gurjar|work=[[The Times of India]]|date=10 May 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.bollywoodlife.com/news-gossip/mahabharat-will-bheem-succeed-in-seeking-revenge-from-dushasan/|title=Mahabharat: Will Bheem succeed in seeking revenge from Dushasan?|last=Chopra|first=Rukmini|date=18 July 2014|publisher=BollywoodLife.com|access-date=21 September 2017|language=en-US}}</ref> On 14 January 2018, it was confirmed that Gurjar had signed a contract with [[WWE]] and will start training at their [[WWE Performance Center|Performance Center]]. He is a former National Kickboxing Gold Medalist.

==Early life==
Gurjar hails from [[Gwalior]] in [[Madhya Pradesh]] and is a former National Kickboxing Gold Medalist.<ref name=HT/>

==Professional wrestling career==
===Ring Ka King (2011–2012)===
In December 2011, he took part in [[Total Nonstop Action Wrestling]]'s [[India]] project, [[Ring Ka King]], where he performed under the ring name Deadly Danda. He was a member of [[Jeff Jarrett]]'s heel stable RDX alongside [[Abyss (wrestler)|Abyss]], [[Scott Steiner]], [[Nick Aldis]] and [[Sonjay Dutt]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cagematch.net/?id=8&nr=863&page=16|title=Ring Ka King All-Time Roster|publisher=cagematch.net}}</ref>

===WWE (2018–present)===
On 14 January 2018, Gurjar signed a contract with [[WWE]]. He made his [[NXT (WWE brand)|NXT]] debut at a live event at [[Orlando]] teaming with [[Rinku Singh]] in a loss to [[Danny Burch]] and [[Oney Lorcan]].<ref name=HT>{{Cite news|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/other-sports/rinku-singh-saurav-gurjar-eye-wwe-glory/story-b4u2R9IiUlUPOVP2gExXwN.html|title=Rinku Singh, Saurav Gurjar eye WWE glory|date=29 April 2017|work=hindustantimes|access-date=2 July 2017|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://khabar.ndtv.com/news/sports/serial-mahabharats-bheem-saurav-gurjar-eye-wwe-glory-1696777|title=WWE रिंग में 'महाबली' की तरह जौहर दिखाना चाहते हैं 'महाभारत के भीम' सौरव|publisher=NDTVIndia|language=hi|access-date=21 September 2017}}</ref><ref name="Hindu">{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/the-ring-is-where-the-heart-is/article18473277.ece|title=The ring is where the heart is|last=Nath|first=Parshathy J.|date=17 May 2017|work=[[The Hindu]]|access-date=21 September 2017|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> On 21 March 2019, he and Singh started being managed by [[Robbie E|Robert Strauss]] on NXT live events.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.f4wonline.com/wwe-results/nxt-sanford-fl-live-results-robbie-e-debuts-dream-vs-riddle-279841 |title = NXT Sanford, FL, live results: Robbie e debuts, Dream vs. Riddle|date = 22 March 2019}}</ref> Gurjar made his first televised appearance as a participant in the [[WWE Worlds Collide (series)|Worlds Collide]] men's battle. On 25 March 2020 episode of NXT, they made their debut by attacking [[Matt Riddle]] under new manager [[Malcolm Bivens]].{{cn|date=April 2020}} The following week, Bivens would introduce them as Rinku and Saurav (dropping their last names) while revealing their team name to be Indus Sher<ref>{{cite news |title=Saina Nehwal and Parupalli Kashyap pull out of Denmark Open |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/other-sports/saina-nehwal-and-parupalli-kashyap-pull-out-of-denmark-open/story-JTenKrbWjUhgd1VBHi2cxM.html |access-date=6 October 2020 |work=Hindustan Times |date=6 October 2020 |language=en}}</ref> (''sher'' means tiger) while collectively being known as Bivens Enterprises.{{cn|date=April 2020}}

==Acting career==
In 2013, Gurjar started his acting venture and appeared on television.<ref name=HT/> He made his television debut with a serial ''[[Mahabharat (2013 TV series)|Mahabharat]]'' in which he portrayed the role of Bheem.<ref>{{cite news |last1=IANS |title=My build got me 'Mahabharat' role: Wrestler Saurav Gurjar |url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/my-build-got-me-mahabharat-role-wrestler-saurav-gurjar-686737.html |access-date=9 August 2020 |date=9 May 2014}}</ref> The show was aired on Star Plus and had run from 2013 to 2014. He then appeared in ''[[Sankatmochan Mahabali Hanuman]]'' as Ravan and Vali from 2016 to 2017.<ref name=AajTak>{{cite news |title=WWE के इस रेसलर ने महाभारत में निभाया भीम का रोल, रणबीर की फिल्म में आएंगे नजर |url=https://aajtak.intoday.in/story/wwe-wrestler-mahabharat-saurav-gurjar-bheem-profile-ranbir-alia-film-bhrashatra-tmov-1-1192908.html |access-date=9 August 2020 |work=aajtak.intoday.in |date=21 May 2020 |language=hi}}</ref>

He debuted in films with ''[[Brahmastra (film)|Brahmastra]]'', which is scheduled to be released in 2021.<ref name=AajTak/>

==Filmography==
{| class="wikitable"
|+Key
| style="background:#FFFFCC;"| {{dagger|alt=Films that have not yet been released}}
| Denotes films that have not yet been released
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|- style="text-align:center;"
! scope="col"|Year
! scope="col"|Film
! scope="col"|Role
! scope="col"|Director
! class="unsortable" scope="col"|Notes
|-
| 2019
! scope="row" style="background:#FFFFCC;" |''[[Brahmastra (film)|Brahmastra]]'' {{dagger|alt=Film has yet to be released}}
| Negative role
|[[Ayan Mukerji]]
| Debut film <br/>Filming<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.timesnownews.com/amp/entertainment/news/bollywood-news/article/this-wwe-wrestler-will-make-his-bollywood-debut-in-alia-bhatt-ranbir-kapoor-amitabh-bachchan-s-brahmastra/371050|title=This WWE wrestler will make his Bollywood debut in Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan's Brahmastra|date=23 February 2019|work=Times Now News|access-date=23 February 2019}}</ref>
|}

==Television==
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Show
! scope="col" | Role
! scope="col" | TV Channel
! scope="col" | Notes
|-
| 2013–2014 || ''[[Mahabharat (2013 TV series)|Mahabharat]]'' || [[Bhima|Bheem]] || [[Star Plus]] ||
|-
| 2016–2017 || ''[[Sankatmochan Mahabali Hanuman]]'' || [[Ravana|Ravan]] and [[Vali (Ramayana)|Vali]] || [[Sony Entertainment Television (India)|Sony TV]] || Replaced [[Aarya Babbar]] as Ravan
|}
==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal|India|Bollywood}}
* {{IMDb name|id=7287281|name=Saurav Gurjar}}
{{WWE personnel}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gurjar, Saurav}}
[[Category:1980s births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian male professional wrestlers]]
[[Category:Male actors from Mumbai]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian male actors]]
[[Category:People from Gwalior]]

*{{wwe superstars|saurav-gurjar}}
{{India-actor-stub}}

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Saurav Gurjar