Mumbai, March 6 (NationPress) Renowned actor Salman Khan honored legendary star Kabir Bedi by dubbing him the “original Tiger of India”, reflecting on the memorable 1976 television series Sandokan.

Salman shared his admiration on Instagram stories, commending Kabir Bedi for making history nearly 50 years ago as the first Indian actor to lead an international television series with Sandokan.

“Sandokan Sandokan 50 years ago, the first Indian to do an international TV show, the forever handsome, enigmatic, the original Tiger, not only of Malaysia but of India,” Salman expressed alongside a video of Kabir introducing the new “Sandokan”, Turkish actor Can Yaman.

He also extended his best wishes to Can Yaman, who is set to take on the role in the upcoming adaptation of Sandokan. Salman acknowledged the challenge ahead of Yaman, expressing his eagerness to see the new rendition.

“My duaa that everyone looks as strong and conducts their emotional life as @kabirbedi. The new Sandokan @canyaman.... you have big shoes to fill. Best of luck! I'm going to watch it right now! I love you @ikabirbedi,” he added.

Sandokan is a 1976 Italian television series directed by Sergio Sollima, based on the novels by Emilio Salgari, featuring the adventurous pirate hero Sandokan. A feature-length spin-off film followed in 1977, and a sequel series titled The Return of Sandokan aired in 1996, with Kabir Bedi reprising his iconic role.

Sandokan is a fictional pirate from the late 19th century, created by Italian author Emilio Salgari, with his adventures first published in 1883. He is the protagonist of 11 adventure novels and is famously known throughout the South China Sea as the “Tiger of Malaya”.

On the professional front, Salman is gearing up for his upcoming film ‘Battle of Galwan’, which is based on the Galwan stand-off between India and China that occurred on June 15, 2020, during the onset of the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in India.

The clash between Indian and Chinese troops in Galwan Valley, eastern Ladakh, was part of a broader border standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). It turned violent as both sides attempted to patrol disputed regions, culminating in hand-to-hand combat.

This confrontation resulted in the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers, with China also facing casualties. It marked the deadliest face-off between India and China in over four decades, escalating tensions and prompting both nations to bolster troop deployments and engage in diplomatic discussions to prevent further conflict.

Directed by Apoorva Lakhia, the film is slated for release on April 17.