Is this your first visit to India?
Yes. This is my first visit.
So, how is the country treating you?
It`s my first day and I am excited to be here. So far, it has been pretty good. Everyone here has been very welcoming. I am looking forward to meeting Indian fans. It is one thing to be interacting with them on social networking websites and totally another to be meeting them in person.
What are your initial impressions of the country, its culture?
Yeah I was. In fact, one of my good friends is an amazing Bollywood choreographer. She once asked me to perform in one of her shows in college. So, I have danced to the Bollywood music and it was great fun. It is tiring and requires a certain level of fitness.And being a wrestler, fitness is an important part of your life.
Of course it is. I always try different things to stay in shape whether it is dancing or Jiu-Jitsu or training weights in the gym. I try to do a little bit of everything.
Speaking of Bollywood, have you ever watched any Indian movie?
Yes, I have seen some Bollywood movies. I also listen to some of its music. But then again I am not super-familiar with it like which movies are out. There are many Indian actresses that have a global appeal like Aishwarya Rai, Kareena Kapoor. Everybody likes music and dancing. It puts you in a good mood.
When we talk of WWE and India, the first thing that comes to mind is The Great Khali. How is he as a person, competitor?
The Great Khali is incredible. He is an international superstar and a movie star too. He is at the centre of attraction everywhere he goes. People are amazed by his huge size. He is a great competitor and a great kisser. I have kissed him on several occasions on Friday Night Smackdown. We have a good connection.
You have won the first season of a reality show "Stars on Stripes" recently and raised money for your charity. Obviously, WWE is a reality show but how different was the experience?
We have quite a tough life here being a WWE Diva. Participating in the show was quite mentally challenging. We were jumping out of helicopters into treacherous terrain, water, climbing up ships. There were all kinds of crazy stunts that I never thought I would ever do.
The show was a learning experience for me. At the same time, I felt proud to have been a part of an organisation that is working to raise money for our military and law enforcement agencies. Also, it is making the viewers aware of and really value these men and women who put their lives in danger for ensuring our safety. So, it was fun and I am proud to be a girl who has won this competition.
Your wrestling career took off after winning the 2007 WWE Diva search. How has been the journey so far?
It has been an incredible journey. It`s been almost five years. I first started interviewing superstars backstage. Back then, I was intimidated by everything.
I have been an executive, administrator and right now an assistant to Booker T. I am still a competitor in the ring and enjoy being a part of everything. I love the evolution of the character. It is necessary because when you stay in one mould for a long period of time, it becomes a little boring. It starts going in one dimension and the fans want to see you re-invent yourself. They want to get behind you.
A part of this involves gauging the reactions of fans to the change. And not just the fans, we have to react to them as well. So, it is a two way process.
What inspired you to join the world of professional wrestling?
I look up to Divas like Trish Stratus and Lita. They are very beautiful women and they are bad. They are strong and great competitors who can handle themselves. Women like that have continued to raise the bar at WWE. Today we have taken it one step further. The Divas brand is continuously evolving and I am proud to be a part of that.
WWE is never complacent. It`s always what next? How can we make our fans more involved? What should be done to ensure their loyalty?
One of the reasons for its continued success is the loyalty of our fans. Recently, we have made it more interactive with the use of social media. We have been evolving with the times. So, these are some of the reasons why we are light years ahead of others when it comes to sports entertainment.
credit : zeenews.
No comments:
Post a Comment