Quick answer: Vindu Dara Singh is an Indian film and television actor, the son of wrestler and actor Dara Singh, and the winner of Bigg Boss 3 (Colors, 2009), the season hosted by Amitabh Bachchan. He made his film debut in Karan (1994), played Hanuman in the TV series Jai Veer Hanuman, and has appeared in Hindi comedies such as Partner, Housefull and Son of Sardaar. In 2013 he was arrested in the IPL betting investigation; he has denied the allegations.
Who is Vindu Dara Singh?
Vindu Dara Singh, born Virender Singh Randhawa, works in Hindi and Punjabi films and on Hindi television. He is the son of Dara Singh (1928-2012), the champion wrestler who became a film star and is remembered by a generation of viewers as Hanuman in Ramanand Sagar’s television series Ramayan (1987-88). Dara Singh was also a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha from 2003 to 2009. Vindu followed his father into acting and, like him, played Hanuman on screen.
Vindu Dara Singh: profile at a glance
- Birth name: Virender Singh Randhawa
- Born: 6 May 1964, in Mumbai, according to his Wikipedia entry. That date would make him 62 as of October 2026.
- Father: Dara Singh, wrestler, actor and former Rajya Sabha member
- Occupation: film and television actor
- Known for: winning Bigg Boss 3; Hanuman in Jai Veer Hanuman; comic roles in Partner, Housefull 2 and Son of Sardaar
- Marriages: actor Farah Naaz (married 1996, divorced 2002), with whom he has a son; Russian model Dina Umarova (married 2006), with whom he has a daughter
An earlier version of this article gave two different birth dates (6 May 1964 in the profile and 6 May 1972 in the text) and said he was born in Punjab. His Wikipedia entry gives 6 May 1964 in Mumbai, and we found no reliable source for 1972, so treat any other date you see with caution. That earlier version also listed his height, weight, eye and hair colour, and named his mother and sisters; those details could not be verified from reliable sources and have been removed.
Career
Films
Vindu Dara Singh made his debut in the Hindi film Karan (1994). He also acted in Punjabi cinema, starting with Rab Dian Rakhan (1996), which his father directed, and later Love Yoou Soniye (2013) and Jatt James Bond (2014). His Hindi films include:
- Garv (2004), with Salman Khan
- Mujhse Shaadi Karogi (2004)
- Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya? (2005)
- Partner (2007), as Mr Chadha
- Khushboo (2008)
- Kambakkht Ishq (2009), as Gulshan “Tiger” Shergill
- Kisse Pyaar Karoon (2009), as Inspector Jadhav
- Housefull (2010) and Housefull 2 (2012), playing Sosa D’Costa in the sequel
- Joker (2012), as Sundi
- Son of Sardaar (2012), as Tito Singh Sandhu
- Son of Sardaar 2 (2025)
He also played Hanuman in the Telugu mythological film Sri Rama Rajyam (2011). An earlier version of this article listed Himmatwala among his films; we could not confirm a role in it, so it has been left out.
Television
On television, Vindu Dara Singh played Hanuman in Jai Veer Hanuman (1995-96), the role his father had made famous, and later played villains in Star Plus shows such as the horror series Ssshhhh…Koi Hai. His other television work includes:
- Bigg Boss 3 (Colors, 2009): winner (see below).
- Maa Exchange (Sony, 2011)
- Zor Ka Jhatka (NDTV Imagine, 2011)
- Welcome: Baazi Mehmaan-Nawaazi Ki (Life OK, 2013)
- Power Couple (Sony, 2015)
- Nach Baliye 9 (Star Plus, 2019)
Vindu Dara Singh in Bigg Boss 3
Bigg Boss 3 aired on Colors and was the only season hosted by Amitabh Bachchan. It ran from 4 October to 26 December 2009. Vindu Dara Singh lasted until the finale and was declared the winner, with Pravesh Rana as the first runner-up and Poonam Dhillon finishing third. Bigg Boss 3 was the last season before Salman Khan took over as host from season 4. For every season’s result, see our list of Bigg Boss winners, and read about the hosts in our Bigg Boss hosts list.
An earlier version of this article described his game in the house in glowing terms (“deserving contest to win this show”). Those were opinions rather than facts and have been removed.
The 2013 IPL betting case
In May 2013, during the investigation into spot-fixing and betting in that year’s Indian Premier League (IPL), the Mumbai Police crime branch arrested Vindu Dara Singh over his alleged links with bookies. A Mumbai court granted him bail on 4 June 2013, along with Gurunath Meiyappan, then an official of Chennai Super Kings. In September 2013, Mumbai Police filed a chargesheet under gambling law naming 21 people, including Vindu Dara Singh; press reports at the time said the charges related to illegal betting rather than spot-fixing. He has denied the allegations.
We did not find any report of a verdict in the case against him as of October 2026, so he should not be described as convicted. An earlier version of this article said he was arrested “for fixed match of Chennai Super Kings”. That overstated the case: the charges against him concerned alleged betting, not fixing a match.
For more Bigg Boss winners, read our profiles of Ashutosh Kaushik (Bigg Boss 2) and Shweta Tiwari (Bigg Boss 4).
Frequently asked questions
Who won Bigg Boss 3?
Vindu Dara Singh won Bigg Boss 3 in December 2009. Pravesh Rana was the first runner-up. Amitabh Bachchan hosted that season.
Whose son is Vindu Dara Singh?
He is the son of Dara Singh, the wrestler and actor who played Hanuman in the 1980s television Ramayan. Dara Singh died in July 2012.
Was Vindu Dara Singh convicted in the IPL case?
We found no report of a conviction. He was arrested in May 2013, granted bail in June 2013 and named in a September 2013 chargesheet relating to alleged betting. He has denied the allegations.
Who is Vindu Dara Singh’s wife?
He married Russian model Dina Umarova in 2006. His first marriage, to actor Farah Naaz, ended in divorce in 2002.
What was Vindu Dara Singh’s first film?
His first Hindi film was Karan (1994).
Details checked in October 2026 against his Wikipedia entry and its cited sources, the Bigg Boss 3 season record, and 2013 press reports on the IPL betting case. Personal details that could not be verified have been removed.
