He absolutely loves watching tennis and was rooting for Andy Murray at the Australian Open before the former World Number One lost to Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut on Saturday, and has rediscovered his love for WWE as the host of Sony Sports Network’s WWE Super Dhamaal show. In a chat with TT, Sharman Joshi shares what he finds most arresting about WWE and which tennis star’s biopic would he like to feature in.
This is very different from what you have done so far. What are you expecting?
I am expecting love and the show to do very well and for it to run for years to come and I am hoping and expecting to host it for years to come.
How much do you follow WWE? What is the most arresting bit about WWE to you?
The fights. Though you know it is entertainment, it’s so realistically done that you get involved and emotional and I mentioned earlier that I lost touch with it but through this assignment, I have re-found my love so to say. I was missing out on so much fun. You are with the emotions of the wrestlers and their other personal issues which they are also dealing with in the ring. It’s quite a revelation for me.
Any favourites?
Old superstars Hulk Hogan and in current (times), it has to be Gunther...
Are your kids into WWE?
They wake up watching WWE, and before they sleep, they watch WWE, in school they sneakily watch WWE and have been caught by the teachers several times and sent home.
Generally, are you into sports? Have you played any?
Yeah, cricket, football, volleyball and wrestling with my sister! (Laughs)
Andy Murray
Your favourite sports stars would be?
My favourite sport is tennis, at least to watch on television. Australian Open has just begun and I was watching the match between Andy Murray and Matteo Berrettini. What a match! It was a five-setter and it inspires me. At certain points, you are fighting with life and those games bring out those emotions in me... focus, concentration, and hard work depend on that one game when you get a shot at that championship. It’s very exciting from a viewer’s point of view. You feel for them, like in WWE.... I was rooting for Murray.
Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi
Is there any sporting icon whose biopic you would like to star in?
I like tennis... so it has to be a Mahesh Bhupathi or Leander Paes, (but) I won’t fit in there physically, but they’ve had a journey. They have carved a name for India in tennis. Of course in Davis Cup, the brothers Vijay and Anand Amritraj. There was a long gap and then these guys came in. So, Anand Amritraj... I might fit into that.
Coming to screen talk, what are you streaming now?
There are some great documentaries playing out. I am loving watching documentaries of late. That’s what I am hooked to. I am very bad with names.
What did you watch last?
I watched Drishyam 2.