NEW DELHI: Retake! The first time Lovepreet Sangha heard this word at a studio in Orlando, he had no clue about its importance in the world of mock-wrestling. For the last eight years, Sangha has been a star in the kabaddi circuit in Punjab, but even then, the world of retakes came as a surprise to him.
“There was a big camera facing me, and for a moment I didn’t know what was going on. Slowly, it sunk in that I was part of the show,” Sangha, who hails from Moga, tell Express at a five-star hotel in New Delhi.
It has been nine months since the Indian has joined the glamourous World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), and everyday has been a new experience. From just another rookie wrestler to making international debut in front of the Indian audience at WWE Live India on Saturday — life has been quite eventful.
But that’s still not enough to overcome the past. As the 27-year-old speaks about his home, family and why he chose to quit kabaddi despite participating at the World Cup, one can feel the pain. “Despite playing kabaddi for so long, it was getting difficult to continue. Though my parents supported me and ensured my game was not hampered, it was not easy with limited infrastructure and less money,” Sangha, who has been given the ring name Kishan Raftaar, says.
As he speaks, compatriot Satender Ved Pal joins the conversation. The 37-year-old from Baghru village in Haryana also made his international debut in India on Friday, as Jeet Rama. Ask him about the experience, and the 6’4” tall wrestler echoes similar views.
While Sangha had the support of his parents, it was a rather tough journey for the kushtigir. Even after participating in junior and senior wrestling championships, Pal had tough times continuing with the sport. “There was no facility in the village, so I had to travel to Chandigarh for training. Despite that, I learned a lot from the training camps there, but the infrastructure needed improvement. It was not easy to achieve success, shunning the odds,” he admits.
And now, as he looks back at the days of struggle and hardship, he believes that those things have helped them mature. “There was no job initially. Even if you were hurt, no one was there to take care of your injury. We were pursuing the game because there was really nothing else to look forward to,” he reminisces.
As they leave the hotel to go shopping, a group of youngsters greet them at the lobby. Some seek their autographs, some ask for selfies, which they happily oblige. After days of hard work, they are finally living life on the fast lane, and that’s something they have been craving for years. There’s money, there’s fame and more importantly, there’s happiness. It would seem the mock-world of ‘retakes’ isn’t that bad after all!