Varinder Ghuman, vegetarian bodybuilding pioneer and Punjabi actor, dies of cardiac arrest, industry mourns a trailblazer

The Indian fitness and film communities are in shock after the sudden death of Varinder Singh Ghuman, the internationally recognized bodybuilder and Punjabi actor, who passed away on Thursday following a cardiac arrest in Punjab. Best known for winning Mr. India in 2009, representing a plant-based approach to elite physique sport, and appearing in the Bollywood blockbuster Tiger 3, Ghuman’s influence cut across gyms, movie sets, and a generation of athletes who saw him as proof that Indian bodybuilding could compete on the world stage.

A sudden end to a singular career

Initial details indicate Ghuman suffered a cardiac arrest in Amritsar on October 9. He was in his 40s and had remained active in public appearances and training. Tributes from artists, athletes, and public officials poured in within hours, underscoring how widely he was admired—both for his imposing stage presence and for the discipline and humility that sustained his long run at the top.

The world’s first vegetarian pro bodybuilder

Ghuman’s career stands out for a reason that goes beyond trophies. He championed a vegetarian—often described as fully plant-based—path to muscle and performance at a time when bodybuilding orthodoxy leaned heavily on animal protein. By doing so, he broadened the sport’s cultural reach in India, where vegetarian diets are common, and re-framed the conversation globally about how to fuel strength at scale. His ascension to the professional ranks, alongside podium finishes in Asia and a Mr. India crown, gave credibility to a blueprint many dismissed as impossible.

What made his approach different:

• Emphasis on high-quality plant proteins and meticulous macronutrient planning

• Periodized training with careful recovery to protect strength during lean phases

• Public advocacy that normalized vegetarian prep in gyms across North India

From gym floors to cinema screens

Audiences outside bodybuilding met Ghuman in Punjabi cinema—most memorably in Kabaddi Once Again—and later in mainstream Hindi film, including a turn alongside Salman Khan in Tiger 3. On camera, his frame delivered immediate impact; off camera, he became a reliable ambassador for fitness culture, often mentoring younger artists balancing aesthetics with endurance-heavy shoots. Casting directors valued him not just as “the big guy,” but as a professional who could handle choreography, long days, and press with equal composure.

An icon who carried Punjab’s fitness renaissance

Ghuman’s rise coincided with a wider fitness boom in Punjab—more gyms, more local shows, more aspirants looking beyond basic weight training toward structured competition. He frequently headlined expo stages, judged contests, and appeared at academy openings, lending not just celebrity but practical guidance: posing fundamentals, peak-week hydration, and ethical sponsorships. Many of today’s regional champions trace their first serious prep to a Ghuman seminar or meet-and-greet.

The questions his passing raises

Any sudden cardiac death in a high-intensity sport prompts hard questions. Elite physique athletes push through rigorous bulk-cut cycles, heavy loads, and punishing travel that can strain sleep and recovery. While the full medical picture will take time to settle, the moment calls for renewed emphasis on ECG screening, electrolyte monitoring, and transparent medical oversight during offseason surgeries or procedures, when athletes may be at heightened risk due to recent prep, dehydration, or stimulants.

Practical safeguards gyms and teams can reinforce now:

• Regular cardiac screening for competitive athletes, especially pre-contest

• Monitored rehydration protocols post-weigh-in or after extended travel

• Clear pre-op disclosures about supplements and recent cutting cycles

A legacy of possibility

Varinder Ghuman will be remembered as a barrier-breaker: a Punjabi kid who turned a regional pastime into a professional calling, a vegetarian who rewired global assumptions about muscle, and a crossover talent who carried that spirit onto the big screen. The grief in gyms and studios today is matched by gratitude—from lifters who found their lane because he proved it could be done, and from audiences who discovered a new kind of on-screen presence. His story won’t end at the memorials; it lives on every time a young athlete in India steps on stage believing, confidently, that they belong there.