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The Great Khali: We bet you DIDN'T know these hidden facts about the star athlete's life
The Great Khali is an athlete-turned-actor who mostly works in Bollywood, and has made a few appearances in Hollywood as well.
Legacy of the Great Khali
One of India’s most well-known sportsman-turned-actors is The Great Khali. The former athlete, who is now an established actor, has represented India on a global scale. From working as a guard to becoming the first Indian to represent India at the WWE, Khali has already built an incredible legacy that will live on for years. Check out some interesting trivia that even his die-hard fans may not be aware of.
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Khali's early life
Khali’s real name is Dilip Singh Rana and he was born in a town called Dhiraina in Himachal Pradesh. Dilip Singh Rana Dhiraina, a village in Himachal Pradesh, is where Khali was born. Khali, his ring name, was inspired by the Hindu Goddess Kali, who is associated with immortal power.
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Khali's secret to his height
Despite the fact that his parents are both rather 'average' in size, Khali went on to reach the height of 7 feet and 1 inch. According to reports, he has an acromegaly disease, which causes the body to manufacture abnormal growth hormones and hence the reason behind his giant size.
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Khalis life before wrestling
In 1993, Rana worked with the Punjab Police as an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) after grabbing the attention of a police officer from the neighboring state of Punjab. Khali had previously assisted other Punjab Police workers in becoming professional athletes.
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Khali's road to fame
After training in local gyms in Jalandhar, he soon was selected for specialized wrestling training in the United States. He then relocated to the US in 2000. Khali made his professional wrestling debut for All Pro Wrestling in the United States of America with the ring name 'Giant Singh'. Khali entered the WWE ring for the first time on April 7, 2006, becoming the first Indian to represent India on the platform.
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Khali's own wrestling academy
After making his mark in the wrestling world, he founded his own wrestling academy called Continental Wrestling Entertainment in Punjab.
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Khali as an actor
Khali has made multiple film appearances in both Bollywood and Hollywood. He has acted in films like The Longest Yard, Kushti and Get Smart. Additionally, he served as the runner-up on the television reality show Bigg Boss Season 4. After that, he appeared on other television shows such as Outsourced and Pair of Kings.