India's first World Wrestling Entertainment champion, Daleep Singh Rana, popularly known as Khali, on Wednesday claimed their bitterly fought bouts were all real and not stage managed as perceived by the masses.
The 7.3 feet tall Khali, currently taking a break after his around three-year stint in the WWE, rubbished the notion that performance of the wrestlers was manipulated by media during broadcast.
"Everything whatever you see out there is real. Sometimes wrestlers receive serious injuries, and even die on the ring. There is no way of manipulation by media," Khali said.
Khali was surprised to see his popularity in India where cricket and Bollywood actors draw much of the fanfare.
"I didn't expect such fanfare in India, where, I thought only cricket and film stars enjoy publicity," he said.
He fondly recalled meeting Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai and revealed that the master batsman invited him for an Indian Premier League match.
Khali, who has a "very busy schedule in India", said "I am interested to visit the ground at least once. I will surely try to find some time."
Khali believes the country had great prospect in the wrestling at the highest level and offered his help the aspirants.
'"India has plenty of talent. If they are imparted with proper training, the country will surely produce scores of wrestlers, better than me. I want more and more Indians to participate in the game," Khali said.
"In order to help the talented Indian wrestlers, I am always ready to talk to them and answer their queries," he said.
On his journey to becoming the WWE champion in 2007, Khali said it was not an easy one. Khali, who worked as a labourer in Shimla, was spotted by a top Punjab cop to train him in wrestling.
"I watched wrestling for the first time on television while in Punjab, after which I started working seriously to become a good wrestler.
"I left India for US with Rs 2,000 only in hand, where I have gone through some very difficult times before entering into wrestling," Khali said.
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