Interview: The Great Khali

By: Kiran Ayodhya

For anyone who ever uttered the words “there is an elephant in the room” would probably consider holding back blurting that very phrase whenever The Great Khali is in the room. Standing tall at seven feet five inches, the Himachal Pradesh native made a name for himself as a world-class wrestler traveling around the world on the WWE circuit.

Of course, for all we care, the man born into a modest lifestyle as Dilip Singh Rana could be the world’s biggest softie – but for now, a few movie producers hope he will be the world’s biggest marketing ploy. After all, while his Bollywood debut entails only a brief on-screen appearance in this weekend’s release of Kushti, the professional wrestler who has traveled the world over may just be the biggest reason to fill theater seats and watch the Venus Ad Films production of a Rajeev Kumar movie – both literally and figuratively.

While Khali’s appearance in the climatic scene of Kushti may be a sign of bigger things in store in Bollywood for the wrestler, the Indian version of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is just biding his time and enjoying the experience of balancing a life that includes professional sport and film.

“It was amazing working in the film (Kushti). I really enjoyed working with all the co-stars, and we really bonded well on the sets,” The Great Khali told the press. “We used to eat together and they used to talk to me as if they knew me for a very long time.”

Perhaps that camaraderie was a good thing, as it probably helped bring to life what will probably be one of the most memorable scenes in recent Bollywood history, where The Great Khali basically plays himself during the film’s climax in a small northern India village. There, the wrestler takes on an awfully small opponent played by the roughly five-foot-tall Rajpal Yadav – all in the name of proving one’s love to a prospective father-in-law. If Yadav’s character can have his way with Khali, then the match’s promoter (Om Puri) will allow his daughter to be romantically pursued by the puny-sized and over-matched victor.

“As the title suggests, Kushti is based on wrestling, and the movie revolves around wrestling mania in a rural village in India.  I play the part of a wrestler in the movie,” Khali explained about his role and the film in general. “Yes, we did have to shoot for a wrestling match, and it was fun doing it. Rajpal is a talented actor, and it was a wonderful experience working with him. Having a Kushti match or a chat with Rajpal is a big comedy in itself.”

The Great Khali seems to have found a bit of a calling in comedic films such as Kushti, what with a resume that already includes small but significant roles in Hollywood productions such as The Longest Yard, Get Smart, and the upcoming release of MacGruber. He also made an appearance in 2009 on The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien.

With that, Dalip/Khali has no qualms about returning to the big screen as an actor. In addition to Kushti, the professional wrestler has already committed to another Bollywood production, where Khali will be seen experiencing a case of happy feet. (Oh, and for the record, Khali is also featured in a music video in Kushti.)

“First, I am associated with WWE. Yes, I am interested in doing more and more Hindi movies, and I am flooded with film offers,” the athlete told the press. “I am doing a movie titled Rama – The Savior. It’s a children’s movie, and I have done a hip-hop dance number with the kids in the movie. But my first priority remains WWE, who has made me the person I am today and it leaves me with less time to act in movies.”

As to whether The Great Khali prefers Hollywood or Bollywood, what with his international resume starting to take shape, the professional wrestler respectfully made it clear which side of the line he prefers to be on.

“In the year 2005, I did The Longest Yard, and in 2008, I acted in Get Smart. I have also done a movie with actor Brad Pitt,” The Great Khali observed. “(But) I am very attached to my motherland, and it gives me immense satisfaction to work in Bollywood.”

No doubt fans will be immensely satisfied to watch the brief yet memorable performance of The Great Khali in Kushti, which hits screens this weekend and stars Rajpal Yadav, Om Puri, Sharat Saxena and Nargis.