Appreciating Bangladeshi athletes, especially wrestlers and cricketers for their remarkable contribution to the sports industry, two time Commonwealth heavyweight wrestling awardee and Big Boss fame Indian athlete Sangram Singh revealed his interest to open Wrestling and Self-Defence academy in Bangladesh, given the opportunity. Calling wrestling a “gentleman’s game,” the world champion wrestler urged the male and female youths to take interest in wrestling in a candid chat with Dhaka Tribune on Thursday in New Delhi ahead of a rigal wrestling competition in Dubai on February 24 against Pakistani wrestler Md Shahid.
Belonging from a village “Madina,” 15 kms away from Rohtak in northern Indian state of Haryana, Sangram, the wrestler turned Big Boss actor has over eight million Instagram followers. Yet he is simple to the core and exclaims like a child in conversation. Once a paralyzed child, Sangram is now an icon for India’s Sports ministry, Anti-Tobacco campaign and two other state-driven initiatives.
A horse-rider pilgrim died in Singh’s locality on his way to Madina. The man said this place was Madina for him. Hence the locals buried him there itself and eventually the village earned the name “Madina,” he explained. Surprisingly, there was another adjunct village, which was earlier known as “Mecca.”
The physique sculptor indulges in copious amounts of milk and ghee consumption. Coming from the state of Haryana, that highly regards bovine population, Sangram is very fond of cattles. He has two cows, Avantika, and her pair as well as three buffaloes back home.
He never watched any season of Big Boss, despite acting in the famous show for over 105 days. When got the offer, he was reluctant to do the reality show because mostly people whose careers ended used to come in Big Boss. He mostly said yes considering the monetary offer and he earned over Indian Rupees 75 lakh from the show to repay the loan of his house in Mumbai.
“I have changed the pattern of Big Boss….At one point of time, I wanted to be out of it. There was less food and less sleep, besides there was just a bathroom for 15 of us. I obviously came for money but used to wonder why others came contesting Big Boss, despite their enormous wealth and money.”
“ I am a patient person and patience is the key to success,” he serendipitously told Dhaka Tribune.
On SRK and Working With Salman Khan
Recalling his Big Boss days and meetings with Salman Khan, the wrestler-turned-actor remarked "Salman bhai is a desi person. That's why we have very good bonding. He is a good human being. Look the way he has continuously maintained stardom for over 25 years."
He texted him after the release of Sultan to know how Salman's screen appearance was as the wrestler in the film. During the production of Big Boss, Salman Khan used to appear in very expensive clothes and accessories. Singh went on to say where as he himself used to wear very inexpensive outfits as little as less than Indian Rupees 50, mostly bought outside “Akharas,” Salman Khan used to come wearing a belt worth Rs. 40, 000.
Participating in Dhaka Tribune Showtime, Singh said he was in talks to act with Salman Khan in Prem Ratan Dhan Payo. Other than Salman, Sangram is an admirer of Dharmendra. When he met Shahrukh Khan at a party, SRK once revealed him that his children are big fans of Sangram Singh.
Actor Suniel Shetty offered generous help to Sangram, when arrived in Mumbai to settle. He considers himself a fan of Madhuri Dixit and Alia Bhatt.
Singh was in talks and touch with legendary filmmaker Shyam Benegal, director of Mujib, for a bio pic of a wrestler for almost three years but it was not finalized, Sangram told Dhaka Tribune. Sangram said he gleaned valuable insights from Benegal and Mahesh Bhatt.