The role of a gambler played with such remarkable finesse by screen idol Amitabh Bachchan in The Great Gambler might be considered a vastly exaggerated account of those who wine and dine in the poker circuit. But that is only because in "reel life" depictions of certain exaggerations are a must in order to entice enough moviegoers into the cinema houses. When it comes to the "real life gamblers", it is men like Surinder Sunar who qualify for the title of The Great Gambler. Born in April 1, 1959 in Punjab, Surinder first came to London when he was barely 7 and now lives in Wolverhampton, UK. His tryst with fame happened when he became two-time finalist (seasons 1 and 5) in the Late Night Poker television series.

But his most memorable victory was the one he won over the mercurial Tony G in the season 3 World Poker Tour Grand Prix de Paris event. It is said that before the match Tony G displayed un-sportsman like behavior by taunting Sunar with these words, "Surinder, you are going to bleed so badly once it is heads up. You're putting me to sleep. I'm scared for you!" Sunar refused to be rattled by the taunt and played his normal cool game. He sat expressionless throughout the final table, and ended up winning the $679,000 grand prize right under Tony's nose. Sunar is most well known for keeping his emotions in check and never letting pressure catch up with him in toughest games. Like a chameleon he adapts to the environment and keeps his opponents on the edge.

As of 2006 his total live tournament winnings are estimated to exceed $3,200,000. He has the nickname cobra, which maybe because like a cobra he has the capacity to attack suddenly and snatch the game out of his opponent's hands. His durability, focus, and dedication to the game are rivaled only by the best in the poker circuit. He is capable of playing variety of styles at the table, switching from tight to loose and passive to aggressive at the turn of a card. Surinder also holds a black belt in karate, which he claims has assisted him in improving his ability to concentrate through the often brutal, long hours of tournament play. Today he is a European poker legend, and is a member of the European Poker Hall of Fame.