Retesh Bhalla- NRI wrestler is a huge hit in WWF

NRI wrestler is a huge hit in WWF

Retesh Bhalla, also known as Sonjay Dutt, is a professional wrestler who works on the independent wrestling scene and has worked in wrestling organisations like MLW(Major Leauge Wrestling), ROH(Ring of Honor) and is currently on contract with NWA-TNA.

Real name: Retesh Bhalla
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 185 lbs.
Date of birth: April 7, 1982

In 2002, Dutt was named CZW's (Combat Zone Wrestling) break out star of the year.
On July 12, 2003, Dutt and Prince Nana beat Dirty Rotten Scoundrelz to capture the CSWF Tag Team title.
Dutt defeated J.C. Bailey on August 9, 2003 in Philadelphia, PA to claim the IWA Mid-South Lightheavyweight title.
On September 19, 2003, Dutt went through Tony Mamaluke, Christopher Daniels, and Eddie Colon to win the MLW (Major League Wrestling) Junior Heavyweight tournament in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
Dutt defeated Ruckus on December 13, 2003 in Philadelphia to captured the CZW Junior Heavyweight title.

WASHINGTON: He's flesh from India, 'The Playa from Himalaya.' A young Indian wrestler has made a big splat, er, splash, in the world of professional wrestling - otherwise known as WWF - marking a return to a familiar frontier for sub-continental brawniacs.

Retesh Bhalla, 22, is a grad student at Virginia's George Mason University by day. By night, under the arclights, he's Sonjay Dutt, a tub-thumping, thigh-slapping pro wrestler in the tradition of Hulk Hogan, Brett 'The Hit Man' Hart, Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, Yokozuna, The Rock, Dusty Rhodes, Andre the Giant....

Bhalla follows the giant footsteps of other famed wrestlers such as Dara Singh, 'Tiger' Jeet Singh and Ali Singh, all of whom performed in the west.
"It's no gimmick. I am a legit Indian. I speak Punjabi and Hindi," Bhalla, who prefers to be called Dutt, told pro-wrestling columnist Alex Marvez recently. He was born in Washington DC and has lived in the area all his life, learning English only as a third language. "I grew up speaking Punjabi and Hindi in my house. Once it was time to go to school, I picked up English," he says.

Like many kids of this age, Dutt wanted to be a WWF champ when he was a kid. He says his parents were amused and thought he would get over the fantasy. He didn't.

According to a lengthy profile in the Washington Post on Friday, despite a modest build — 5 feet 6 and 130 pounds — Dutt enrolled in Washington DC's Monster Factory, a training school that teaches pro-wrestlers — for $ 2,500 — all the phony but dangerous moves in pro-wrestling. By day, he attended communications and public relations classes at George Mason University.

"It's no gimmick. I am a legit Indian. I speak Punjabi and Hindi," Bhalla, who prefers to be called Dutt, told pro-wrestling columnist Alex Marvez recently. He was born in Washington DC and has lived in the area all his life, learning English only as a third language. "I grew up speaking Punjabi and Hindi in my house. Once it was time to go to school, I picked up English," he says.

Like many kids of this age, Dutt wanted to be a WWF champ when he was a kid. He says his parents were amused and thought he would get over the fantasy. He didn't.

According to a lengthy profile in the Washington Post on Friday, despite a modest build — 5 feet 6 and 130 pounds — Dutt enrolled in Washington DC's Monster Factory, a training school that teaches pro-wrestlers — for $ 2,500 — all the phony but dangerous moves in pro-wrestling. By day, he attended communications and public relations classes at George Mason University.
He struggled to get a break in a world dominated by giant Caucasians, but eventually found a foothold in a new league called Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, launched two years ago.

He became a hit soon after, developing a signature move called the 'Hindu press' — which involves standing on the top rope of the ring facing the crowd and throwing himself at his opponent — and being introduced as the 'playa from the Himalaya.'

Dutt now appears weekly on Fox Sports show and TNA's regular live pay-per-view events and tours countries like Japan, Italy and England where pro-wrestling is popular. India, where he still has a lot of family, is definitely on the map.

"Wrestling is so popular in India, but they need somebody they can relate to. I have a lot of family over there and they say that people are just starving for wrestling, but they're getting old WWE TV. The style has changed so much. If they were able to get hold of the new stuff, I know they would totally love it," he told Marvez.

For a legion of kiddie WWF fans in India, that may be on the Dutt.