WWE’s interest in India is not a secret. To capture the market, the company has made some aggressive moves so far. Letting Jinder Mahal win the WWE championship was the latest one, but WWE is not the only wrestling promotion that has their eyes set on India.
Impact Wrestling recently became the first ever promotion to tape television from the nation. Meanwhile, Ring of Honor has also entered the market by signing a huge television deal. Getting ahead of these competing promotions will not be easy for WWE.
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A way in which they can appeal to the fans in India is by bringing in some Indian celebrities. Over the course of WWE’s history, we have seen the company make use of celebrities to garner some extra attention.
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And this is the reason why Names like Muhammad Ali, Floyd Mayweather, Donald Trump and many others came into the promotion. A similar tactic could be employed if WWE is planning to host any major shows in India.
In this list, we take a look at some of those Indian celebrities that we would love to see in WWE if the company is planning another show in the nation.
#11 Sunny Leone
WWE is very careful when it comes to their image. Back in the US, WWE would hesitate to have a former porn star on their programming. There were even rumours that pointed out this as a reason why WWE did not want to induct Chyna into the Hall of Fame.
The brand as a whole might not change when they come to India, but just like the other celebrities in the list, Sunny Leone is a guaranteed draw irrespective of what she did in the past. She has won over Indians on the big screen and for fans, it would be interesting to see Sunny share the limelight with someone like Charlotte, Sasha Banks or Bayley.
#10 Sushil Kumar
The Olympic medallist was on WWE’s radar for a long time and had even approached him last year but for some reason or the other, the deal did not materialise. Despite the failure in securing Sushil’s signature, WWE can still bring him in for an appearance.
Sushil is a world-class athlete and his freestyle wrestling background fits perfectly with WWE.
Even if he takes down one of the wrestlers from WWE’s roster, it would look believable as he has a legitimate wrestling background.
#9 Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh’s connection with professional wrestling goes all the way back to Ring Ka King. When TNA’s Ring Ka King promotion came to India, Harbhajan was taken on board as a promoter. He appeared on the show a few times and knows what it’s like to be part of a wrestling show.
If WWE manages to convince him for an appearance, it would be a huge boost for them.
Harbhajan has the ability to interact with the fans and as he has already shared the ring with the likes of Scott Steiner, Abyss, and many others, and won’t have a problem settling in with the wrestlers on WWE’s roster.
#8 Priyanka Chopra or Deepika Padukone
Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone are two names from India that made it in Hollywood. Deepika recently made headlines with her appearance in xXx: Return of Xander Cage.
Meanwhile, Priyanka has been busy with the TV show, Quantico, and her huge movie, Baywatch, where she acted alongside former WWE champion Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.
Bringing these two on board would add glamour quotient to the WWE show and they could get involved with the Superstars on WWE’s Women’s Division. Such an interaction would not only get WWE some media attention but will also excite Indian fans.
#7 The Phogat Sisters
The Phogat sisters shot to mainstream attention thanks to the movie based on their lives – Dangal. Though they were making the nation proud and piling up medals, it required a Bollywood film to bring them under the spotlight.
Now that the whole nation knows them, WWE could bring in Geeta, Babita, Vinesh – the Phogat sisters.
The extensive wrestling background that the sisters have would make it easy for them to settle in. WWE could book the sisters in a program with the WWE’s Women’s division and let them take down a few of the heel superstars.
If WWE is interested, they could even offer long term deals to the sisters as it would be one way to create a fan base in India.
#6 Virat Kohli
Another name from the cricketing world that could show up at WWE is Virat Kohli. The angry young man of the Indian cricket team has been making waves in the sport for quite some time now. His attitude and celebrity appeal could easily make headlines for WWE.
Kohli could get involved physically with the WWE superstars and would fit in with his image of being the bad boy of Indian cricket and an aggressive character. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he gets into the face of some bad guy from WWE.
What works for WWE, in this case, is the mainstream media attention. As Virat is still an active and relevant name, everyone would be interested in covering his foray in WWE.
#5 Vijender Singh
Vijender Singh, similar to the case with Sushil Kumar, brings legitimacy if he does appear in WWE. He is a former Olympic medalist and a professional boxer. Above all, Vijender’s experience in reality shows and Bollywood makes him apt for an appearance in WWE.
He drew a big crowd for his last fight in India and this is an indication of the popularity that he has in his homeland. WWE could book Vijender in a kayfabe boxing match against a heel on the roster.
Such a match could end up getting some good media attention and at the same time, would make the fans talk.
#4 Kamal Rashid Khan
This might not make any sense, but wouldn’t you love to see KRK getting beat up by someone like John Cena or Seth Rollins?
There are some celebrities that rub the fans in a wrong way and KRK belongs to this list. With his film reviews and social media rants, he has managed to earn a truckload of haters. From a wrestling perspective, if he shows up during a WWE show in India, he is bound to get heat from the fans.
#3 Salman Khan
It would need very little to convince people about the popularity of Salman Khan – the actor’s track record in the box office speaks for itself. Salman is a proven showman and knows to keep the crowd interested.
The well-toned physique of Salman is an add-on if he decides to get into a bout with someone from WWE. Salman ripping off his shirt inside a WWE ring alongside John Cena would be an image to cherish for the ages.
And just like all the other names in the list, Salman brings with him mainstream attention as well.
#2 Shah Rukh Khan
The ability of Shah Rukh Khan to keep the crowd interested and in his control is exceptional. He has hosted shows successfully for a long time and the recent TED Talk that he gave shows his brilliance when it comes to being a showman.
The Baadshah of Bollywood has a universal appeal as well, which could interest Vince McMahon and co. to rope him. While SRK getting involved in any in-ring action would be a bad idea, he could come in as a host or have a non-wrestling segment with a WWE Superstar.
Considering the star power that he brings, it would be better if WWE pairs him up with an experienced name such as Triple H or Kurt Angle. This way, it would be easy for the casual fans to connect.
#1 Sachin Tendulkar
The love that Indians have for cricket cannot be expressed in mere words. Bollywood and cricket is connected in one way or another in India. And when we talk about cricket, a name that resonates in the hearts of India is that of Sachin Tendulkar. Years after his retirement from the sport, Tendulkar still has a passionate fan base that WWE could make use of.
But WWE should be careful in the way they handle Sachin. The fans have a sensitive side when it comes to him and WWE should keep this in mind if they are planning any segment with the legend.
Even if WWE manages to have Sachin in the front row seats, it guarantees a huge exposure for them in the Indian market.
