Sabu Dastagir (Selar Sabu) was an Indian born American actor who was discovered by documentary filmmaker Robert Flaherty at the age of 13.
Sabu was casted in the British film Elephant Boy (1937). He played the role of an elephant driver in the film.
Sabu is best known for the role of Abu in the film The Thief of Bagdad. Some of his other films are The Drum, Jungle Book, Arabian Nights, White Savage, Black Narcissus and Sabu and the Magic Ring.
After becoming an American citizen Sabu also joined the U.S. Army Air Forces. His career declined after World War 2.
Sabu was also considered for the role of Birju (played by Sunil Dutt) in Mother India but was denied a work permit. He never got a chance to appear in a film made in his native country.
He died of a heart attack at the age of 39, three months before the release of his film, The Tiger Walks.
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