The Great Khali unfazed by trolls
Trolls, fans and well wishers have been flocking to The Great Khali’s Instagram to leave hilarious messages — and sometimes even offensive requests — in the comments. Recently, this trend caught fire, and now content creators, and even many verified handles, are indulging in some fun at his cost. But, the wrestler remains unperturbed. “I read the comments and laugh at the funny ones. If I take offence to their comments toh mujhe social media pe aana hi nahin chahiye... Kisi baba ke paas reh ke tapasya karni chahiye,” quips Khali.
“I’m not insecure about my image, and that’s why I remain unfazed by trolls,” he says, elaborating on how he remains calm. “I’m not under any pressure to maintain a celebrity image. Maine life mein bahut kuch dekha hai. I have struggled for 20 years. Roti ke liye bhatka hun... And I’ve also seen the best life,” says Khali, who has served as a security guard, was in the police force, and also shot a film with Hollywood actor Adam Sandler while making a big name for himself in WWE.
While many comments request activities that only humans with super powers could do, Khali understands the psyche of the commentors, and is all up for it. “Sabko lagta hai ki physically, The Great Khali kuch bhi kar sakta hai. Why should I take that negatively? Aaj ki date me bahut log depressed hain... I want people to laugh amid the pandemic, even if it is at my expense,” he says.
But his friends from the industry and showbiz don’t feel the same. “My star friends advise me not to put up photos and captions that invite such comments, and to behave like a celeb on social media. But I don’t believe in having the airs of a star.”
The 48-year-old, who was recently inducted into the Hall of Fame — a renowned wrestling honour — has something to say to all his fans: “Maryada mein comment karo. Gaaliyon ya bure comments se mera wajood nahin mitega.”
And what is Khali up to, during the pandemic? “I was diagnosed with Covid-19 two months back, but I’ve recovered. I tried to laugh a lot. I feel that helped me. I want others to stay happy, too,” he shares, adding that his wrestling academy is coming up in Karnal, Haryana. “I want to motivate depressed youngsters by encouraging them to play sports and make their family proud,” he says.
June is celebrated as Pride month worldwide. And, queer collectives (QC) of Delhi University colleges are keeping up with the celebrations, albeit virtually, due to the pandemic-induced restrictions and lockdowns.
The theme for 2021 is: The Fight Continues. “The theme can be interpreted in many ways. It can be the fight against Covid-19, regressive laws against queer people, or the fight for queer rights,” says Suyash, president of Hindu College’s QC.
The QC of Hindu College has planned a series of Insta lives on various topics every weekend. Filmmakers like Faraz Arif Ansari, Onir and Sridhar Rangayan, who have sensitively brought queer stories on screen, have been invited for talks every weekend. Queeristan: LGBTQ Inclusion in the Indian Workplace’s author Parmesh Shahani is also slated to read excerpts of his book and reflect on his work for the community.
For Ansari, proper representation is very important. “The more representation, the merrier! I remember when I was growing up, there was no representation, not on televi