Wrestler Sangram Singh is extremely happy with Salman Khan and Aamir Khan’s portrayal of wrestlers in Sultan and Dangal, respectively. Sangram, who has won the gold medal for wrestling at the Johannesberg Wrestling Championship in 2006 and at the All India Open Wrestling competition in 2007, feels wrestling has finally been given its due in 2016.
“All thanks to Salman and Aamir. In fact, I was speaking to Salman and jokingly told him that he has done more for wrestling than the professional wrestling champions. After Sultan, the sport acquired a status granted only to cricket so far. Now there is Aamir’s Dangal, where he doesn’t get into the akhaada for fighting but coaching. If a superstar of his stature is shown endorsing wrestling, it is bound to do wonders for the sport. More entertainers should come forward to support sports. I’d love to see Akshay Kumar in a film on Indian martial arts,” says Sangram, who has been working relentlessly to promote kushti in the cities.
“For too long now cricket has got all the attention and money. Look at how much financial help cricket gets from the sports federations. Wrestling has never been seen as a sophisticated sport. At least not until now. We, as a nation, have always worshipped cricket and cricket players, and even football. But kabaddi and kushti are seen fit only for villagers. That’s changing now. Wherever I go, I now easily get the attention of the sports fraternity. Even kabaddi is getting noticed because of Abhishek Bachchan’s interest in the sport,” adds the wrestler.
