[8][9] He came to Singapore in 1947, where he worked in a drum-manufacturing mill and began his wrestling training under Harnam Singh in the Great World Stadium.

Due to his physique, he was encouraged to take up pehlwani, a traditional Indian style of wrestling, in which he trained for several years.

After switching to professional wrestling, he competed around the world with opponents such as Bill Verna, Firpo Zbyszko, John Da Silva, Rikidōzan, Danny Lynch and Ski Hi Lee.

[12] In 1951, Dara Singh lost a traditional city-duel match in Greco-Roman style against Brahmdev Mishra of Gorakhpur in a stadium located at Dharmatala Maidan Calcutta.

The couple became the highest-paid B-grade actors, with Singh receiving nearly four lakh rupees per film.

[24] He also had roles in numerous films, such as Veer Bheem Sen and Ramayan, and in other television serials.

He acted in National Award-winning film Main Maa Punjab Dee directed by Balwant Singh Dullat.

He directed seven Punjabi films including Sawa Lakh Se Ek Ladaun, Nanak Dukhiya Sub Sansar, Dhyanu Bhagat and Rab Dian Rakhan.

Singh was admitted into Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital on 7 July 2012 following a massive heart attack.

[29] He was discharged from hospital on 11 July 2012, citing that nothing can be done to prolong life, and died the next day at his home in Mumbai.