Saurav Gurjar
{{short description|Indian professional wrestler and actor}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox professional wrestler
|name = Saurav Gurjar
|image = SAURAV_GURJAR.jpg
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1985|9|26}}
|birth_place = Dabra, Madhya Pradesh, India
|names = Deadly Danda
Sanga
Saurav
Saurav Gurjar
|billed = Madhya Pradesh, India
|trainer =
|debut = 2011
|retired =
|website =
}}
Saurav Gurjar (born 26 September 1985) is an Indian professional wrestler and actor. As a wrestler, he is best known for his tenure in WWE, where he performed under the ring name Sanga. As an actor, he is best known for his role as Bhima in the TV show Mahabharat (2013).{{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|access-date=28 April 2016|archive-date=5 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170405184618/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/Saurav-Singh-Gurjar-Mahabharat-Bheem-Siddharth-Kumar-Tewary-Rahul-Kumar-Tewary/articleshow/26741925.cms|url-status=live}} He is a former National Kickboxing Gold Medalist.{{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=Hindustan Times|access-date=2 July 2017|language=en|archive-date=23 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170623101101/http://www.hindustantimes.com/other-sports/rinku-singh-saurav-gurjar-eye-wwe-glory/story-b4u2R9IiUlUPOVP2gExXwN.html|url-status=live}}
Early life
Gurjar was born on 26 September 1985 and hails from Dabra in Madhya Pradesh.{{cite web |title=Saurav Gurjar - verified |url=https://twitter.com/sanga_wwe?lang=en |website=Twitter |access-date=26 May 2022 |archive-date=26 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220526103030/https://twitter.com/sanga_wwe?lang=en |url-status=live }} He is a former National Kickboxing Gold medalist.
Professional wrestling career
{{See also|Professional wrestling in India}}
=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, Scott Steiner, Nick Aldis and Sonjay Dutt.{{cite web |title=Ring Ka King (RKK) - All Time Roster |url=https://www.cagematch.net//?id=8&nr=863&page=16 |website=Cagematch |access-date=26 May 2023 |archive-date=26 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230526095122/https://www.cagematch.net//?id=8&nr=863&page=16 |url-status=live }}
=WWE (2018–2024)=
On 14 January 2018, Gurjar signed a contract with WWE. Gurjar made his first televised appearance as a participant in the Worlds Collide men's battle. On 25 March 2020 episode of NXT, Gurjar and Rinku Singh attacked Matt Riddle, with Malcolm Bivens seemingly acting as their manager.{{cite web |last1=Garettson |first1=Jordan |title=Matt Riddle def. Roderick Strong |url=https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwenxt/2020-03-25/article/matt-riddle-def-roderick-strong |website=WWE |publisher=Jordan Garettson |access-date=4 January 2023 |archive-date=4 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230104232202/https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwenxt/2020-03-25/article/matt-riddle-def-roderick-strong |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=Upton |first1=Felix |title=Matt Riddle sends plea to Pete Dunne after '2 Hairy Dudes' attacked him on WWE NXT |url=https://www.ringsidenews.com/2020/03/26/matt-riddle-sends-plea-to-pete-dunne-after-2-hairy-dudes-attacked-him-on-wwe-nxt/ |website=RingsideNews |date=26 March 2020 |access-date=4 January 2023 |archive-date=4 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230104232205/https://www.ringsidenews.com/2020/03/26/matt-riddle-sends-plea-to-pete-dunne-after-2-hairy-dudes-attacked-him-on-wwe-nxt/ |url-status=live }} The following week, Bivens would introduce them as Rinku and Saurav and revealed their team name to be Indus Sher.{{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 |archive-date=7 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201007050809/https://www.hindustantimes.com/other-sports/saina-nehwal-and-parupalli-kashyap-pull-out-of-denmark-open/story-JTenKrbWjUhgd1VBHi2cxM.html |url-status=live }} Indus Sher stopped appearing on television in June after Gurjar posted a photo on Instagram of Keith Lee holding both the NXT Championship and the NXT North American Championship which he won and retained respectively, at NXT's The Great American Bash (2020) which had yet to air at the time the photo was uploaded.{{cite web |last1=Gibbons |first1=Aidan |title=WWE NXT Tag Team Were Pulled From TV Because Of Matt Riddle's Main Roster Call-Up |url=https://cultaholic.com/posts/wwe-nxt-tag-team-were-pulled-from-tv-because-of-matt-riddle-s-main-roster-call-up |website=Cultaholic |date=4 June 2020 |access-date=4 January 2023 |archive-date=4 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230104232203/https://cultaholic.com/posts/wwe-nxt-tag-team-were-pulled-from-tv-because-of-matt-riddle-s-main-roster-call-up |url-status=live }}
On 18 January 2022 episode of NXT, Saurav, under the new ring name Sanga, was repackaged as a bodyguard of Grayson Waller.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wwe.com/videos/grayson-waller-brings-out-the-muscle-with-new-bodyguard-sanga-wwe-nxt-jan-25-2022|title=Grayson Waller brings out the muscle with new bodyguard Sanga: WWE NXT, Jan. 25, 2022|publisher=WWE|date=25 January 2022|access-date=26 January 2022|archive-date=26 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220126083250/https://www.wwe.com/videos/grayson-waller-brings-out-the-muscle-with-new-bodyguard-sanga-wwe-nxt-jan-25-2022|url-status=live}} However, on 12 April edition of NXT, Waller fired Sanga and the following week, Sanga would lose to Waller in a singles match.{{cite web |title=Grayson Waller squares off with his former bodyguard Sanga |url=https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwenxt/article/grayson-waller-squares-off-with-his-former-bodyguard-sanga |website=WWE.com |access-date=4 January 2023 |archive-date=4 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230104232204/https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwenxt/article/grayson-waller-squares-off-with-his-former-bodyguard-sanga |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=Mrosko |first1=Gene |title=Grayson Waller is already done with Sanga |url=https://www.cagesideseats.com/wwe/2022/4/13/23023190/grayson-waller-sanga-break-up-wwe-nxt-2-0 |website=Cageside Seats |date=13 April 2022 |access-date=4 January 2023 |archive-date=4 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230104232202/https://www.cagesideseats.com/wwe/2022/4/13/23023190/grayson-waller-sanga-break-up-wwe-nxt-2-0 |url-status=live }} In October, Sanga reformed Indus Sher with Veer Mahaan, the former Rinku, who had recently returned to NXT.{{cite web |last1=Middleton |first1=Marc |title=Veer Mahaan and Sanga Officially Reunite with Sneak Attack on Tonight's WWE NXT |url=https://wrestlingheadlines.com/veer-mahaan-and-sanga-officially-reunite-with-sneak-attack-on-tonights-wwe-nxt/ |website=Wrestling Headlines |date=26 October 2022 |access-date=4 January 2023 |archive-date=4 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230104232202/https://wrestlingheadlines.com/veer-mahaan-and-sanga-officially-reunite-with-sneak-attack-on-tonights-wwe-nxt/ |url-status=live }}
Sanga got promoted to the main roster as he and Indus Sher were drafted to the Raw brand in the 2023 WWE Draft. Sanga made his Raw debut on 15 May in a tag team match with Veer defeating local talents Drake Thompson and Lavar Barbie.{{Cite web |date=15 May 2023 |title=Raw results, May 15, 2023: Imperium help The Judgment Day score a victory over Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn |url=https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2023-05-15 |access-date=16 May 2023 |website=WWE |language=en |archive-date=15 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230515191827/https://www.wwe.com/shows/raw/2023-05-15 |url-status=live }} On 18 March 2024, episode of Raw, he and Veer were defeated by the Awesome Truth in a qualifier for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship ladder match at WrestleMania XL. On 5 April 2024 episode of Smackdown, he appeared in the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, where he was eliminated by the Creed Brothers; this would be his final match. In April 2024, Sanga was released from WWE.{{cite news |last1=Tessier |first1=Colin |date=20 April 2024 |title=Sanga Released By WWE |url=https://www.wrestlezone.com/news/1466048-sanga-released-by-wwe |work=Wrestlezone |access-date=20 April 2024}}
Championships and accomplishments
- Ring Ka King
- World Cup of Ring Ka King (2012) – with Scott Steiner, Sir Brutus Magnus, Abyss, and Sonjay Dutt{{cite web |title=Ring Ka King #18 |url=https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=78061 |website=Cagematch |access-date=26 May 2023 |archive-date=8 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211108083206/https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=78061 |url-status=live }}
Acting career
In 2013, Gurjar who started his acting venture and appeared on television. He made his television debut with a serial Mahabharat in which he portrayed the role of Bhim.{{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 |archive-date=18 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230418092557/https://www.news18.com/news/india/my-build-got-me-mahabharat-role-wrestler-saurav-gurjar-686737.html |url-status=live }} The show was aired on Star Plus and had run from 2013 to 2014. He then appeared in Sankatmochan Mahabali Hanuman as Ravan and Bali from 2016 to 2017.{{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 |archive-date=30 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200530131132/https://aajtak.intoday.in/story/wwe-wrestler-mahabharat-saurav-gurjar-bheem-profile-ranbir-alia-film-bhrashatra-tmov-1-1192908.html |url-status=live }}
He made his debut in films with Brahmastra released in 2022. In February 2025, he made a comeback after a 3-year hiatus, with Colors TV's Shiv Shakti - Tap Tyaag Tandav as Swarth.{{Cite news |title=Saurav Gurjar joins the cast of Shiv Shakti— Tap Tyag Tandav |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/lifestyle/saurav-gurjar-joins-the-cast-of-shiv-shakti-tap-tyag-tandav/ |work=The Tribune India |date=1 March 2025 |access-date=16 March 2025}}
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 ! class="unsortable" scope="col"|Notes |
| 2022
! scope="row"|Brahmāstra Part One: Shiva | Zor |
=Television=
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Portal|India|Bollywood}}
- {{IMDb name|id=7287281|name=Saurav Gurjar}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gurjar, Saurav}}
Category:Indian male professional wrestlers
Category:21st-century Indian male actors