A little less than five years ago, on May 21, 2017, Jinder Mahal made history. By defeating Randy Orton at WWE’s Backlash, Mahal became the first wrestler of Indian descent to hold the WWE Championship, a title that has been active since 1963.
Born in Calgary, Canada, Jinder Mahal is the in-ring name of Yuvraj Singh Dhesi, who is of Indian Punjabi descent and debuted as a professional wrestler in 2004. Six years later, Mahal got his big break with WWE, where his Punjabi gimmicks and promos gave him a distinct avatar. After a topsy-turvy first spell with WWE, Mahal returned to sports entertainment’s top destination in 2016 a changed man. His spectacular performances ever since have made him a household name in the industry and the most famous WWE superstar of Indian heritage since The Great Khali, whom Mahal considers to be his role model.
Ahead of WWE’s flagship event of WrestleMania 38, My Kolkata caught up with Mahal to talk about his WWE career, his favourite WrestleMania memories, what becoming WWE Champion meant to him, returning to India and more.
Edited excerpts from the conversation follow.
Bret Hart has always been my wrestling idol
Bret Hart was the wrestler Mahal looked up to the most while growing up WWE
My Kolkata: With WrestleMania taking place this weekend, would it be fair to say that your favourite WrestleMania moment came in 2018 when you won a Fatal-4-Way match to claim the United States Championship?
Jinder Mahal: Oh yes, my personal favourite would definitely be winning the United States Championship at WrestleMania 34 (where Mahal defeated Randy Orton, Bobby Roode and Rusev). But I also have another favourite WrestleMania memory, one that didn’t involve me. That would be the Iron Man match between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania XII.
And were you rooting for Bret Hart or Michaels in that one?
Bret Hart, he has always been my wrestling idol.
Brock Lesnar versus Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 38 promises to be one of the biggest main events in WWE history WWE
Which matches are you most looking forward to at WrestleMania 38 this year?
Brock Lesnar versus Roman Reigns is definitely one I’m looking forward to. It’s a huge, huge match. I’m also really interested to see who Seth Rollins’s mystery opponent is. We’ve all been hearing the rumours and I’m quite excited for that one. Then there’s Becky Lynch taking on Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair fighting Ronda Rousey and also RK-Bro facing off against The Street Profits. So plenty to look forward to, there’s a lot of great matches this year!
On my return, I wanted to be the complete WWE superstar
Mahal in action against Drew McIntyre WWE
Your first run in WWE lasted between 2010 and 2014 and then you came back for your second stint in 2016 looking leaner, meaner and a better version of yourself. What changed in those two years and what were the things you wanted to do differently the second time around?
The main thing was that my mentality changed. In my first stint, I wasn’t as focused as I should’ve been. The motivation wasn’t always there and I had several distractions. So, when I came back in 2016, I decided to commit 100 per cent to getting better in the ring, improving my body and improving my microphone skills. I wanted to be the complete WWE superstar. And it paid off, as shortly after, I became WWE Champion and then went on to win the United States Championship.
Becoming WWE champion meant everything to me
Jinder Mahal became the first wrestler of Indian descent to become WWE Champion in May 2017 WWE
Your reign as WWE Champion was a watershed moment not just for wrestlers of Indian origin but also for the millions of WWE fans back home in India. What did holding the WWE title mean to you?
It meant everything to me. I grew up watching WWE, wanting to be WWE Champion, watching the likes of Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Stone Cold Steve Austin — who’s going to be there at WrestleMania this year — Mick Foley, The Rock, and then later on, superstars like John Cena and Randy Orton. All of them have been WWE champions and to be one myself was like making a dream into reality. It was unbelievable and it’s a moment I’ll never forget as long as I’m alive.
I think of The Great Khali as an elder brother
The Great Khali has been a big inspiration for Mahal and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2021 TT archives
Before you, only one wrestler of Indian descent had held a world championship in WWE, which was The Great Khali. What role has Khali played in inspiring you in your journey?
I love and respect The Great Khali a lot. I think of him as an elder brother. I appreciate everything he’s done for Indian wrestlers and in laying the groundwork for people like myself. India has a tradition of producing champion wrestlers, including greats like Tiger Jeet Singh and Dara Singh, and I’d like to continue that legacy.
As for Khali, he’s also a big part of the WWE Universe and I was so happy to see him go into the WWE Hall of Fame last year. On a personal level, I’ve spent a lot of days with Khali, be it practising or travelling together. I’ve had some great times with him.
Roman Reigns has been my toughest opponent
Mahal taking on Roman Reigns WWE
Over the years, you have clashed with some of the very best in the business, be it John Cena or A.J. Styles or Shinsuke Nakamura. Who has been your most challenging opponent till date and why?
The opponent I’ve learnt the most from has been Randy Orton but the most challenging or the toughest to face has been Roman Reigns. He and I started our development at the Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) in the same week. From FCW to Raw and Smackdown, it’s been quite a journey with him. So, I’d pick him as the most challenging. Although I’m yet to fight Brock Lesnar, so when that happens, I’d like to see how that experience stacks up to wrestling Reigns.
Starring in ‘Big Sky’ has been a fantastic experience
Stepping aside from wrestling, you have recently starred in Big Sky, your first TV show (where Mahal plays the character of Dhruv). What has that experience been like?
It’s been a fantastic experience and it’s something that came out of nowhere. I just got a phone call from Janina Gavankar, one of the actresses on the show, and she asked me if I’m interested in the role. I said yes and it took off from there. I really like the experience so far because I get to try something new. Also, a lot of what I’ve learnt in WWE applies to television shows, too, such as playing a character and knowing where the camera is. Big Sky has been awesome, I hope to do more shows in the time to come.
I’d love to go to Kolkata, I hear it’s a very cool place
Mahal after his match against Triple H in Delhi WWE
How often do you get the chance to come down to India? What are your go-to places or must-do things when you are in India?
Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to go to India ever since Covid-19 broke out. Hopefully, I’ll get to go soon. Before that, on my previous visits, I’ve enjoyed wrestling in India. I had a match against Triple H (in Delhi in 2017) and have even fought Khali a couple of times in Punjab when I had taken a break from WWE. It’s actually the only time I’ve wrestled in Punjab.
As for things I like to do when I’m in India, I like to eat all sorts of Indian food. Apart from that, just seeing my family — my uncle and cousins still live in India — or visiting the Golden Temple in Amritsar or heading off to Delhi and Mumbai, both cities that I love.
The Golden Temple is one of the must-visit places for Mahal whenever he is back in India TT archives
Have you had the opportunity to visit Kolkata yet?
No, not yet. I’d love to go there, I hear it’s a very cool place with a very cool culture and lots of great food. I hope I can visit Kolkata soon.
I’m a big fan of jalebi
What are your hobbies and other interests? What do you do to zone out?
I enjoy fitness, it’s obviously an important part of what I do. I also love eating. Most of the time I’m on a strict diet, but I love my cheat meals, especially pizza and desserts. I’m a big fan of jalebi. I’m also into biking, and since I live in Florida, I love going to the beach.
The 35-year-old Mahal is fondly referred to as ‘The Maharaja’ by WWE fans across the world WWE
What would your message be for your fans in Kolkata and the rest of the country?
Thank you so much for your love and support over the years. Hopefully, I can continue to make all of you very proud.
The O2 in London is Mahal’s favourite arena to wrestle in WWE
A rapid fire round
Watch the LIVE coverage of WWE WrestleMania 38 on SONY TEN 1 (English), SONY TEN 3 (Hindi) and SONY TEN 4 (Tamil and Telugu) channels on 3rd & 4th April 2022 from 5.30am (IST)
