WWF --Through the eyes of an Indian fan

It was the best of times, It is the worst of times".

The above line says it all. It signifies the rise & fall of the WWF in the eyes of the Indian fan.

I take this column as an opportunity to provide an insight of the changing image of the WWF in the eyes of an average Indian fan.

If my memory serves me right, it was 1992 when the Indians got their first taste of the most popular pro wrestling in the World. This was the beginning of the WWF's short-lived romance with India. WWF caught the imagination of the Indian viewers and became an overnight phenomenon. Within a year of its launch its popularity had sky rocketed. People of all ages were glued to their TV sets whenever a WWF show was on.

I believe that the main reason that made the WWF immensely popular was the presence of superstars who were charismatic and larger than life. They represented immortality, principles, courage and above all, they symbolized the spirit of goodness; the spirit of Good's triumph over Evil. I am sure all those readers who are familiar with Indian culture will know about the epics from Indian mythology such as "The Ramayana" and "The Mahabharata."

Indians from birth are fed on these great epics, which emphasize that good always triumphs over evil. These epics depicted men of immense courage, principles and heroism. The WWF in the early 90s had superstars like Hulk Hogan, Bret Hart, Randy Savage, Ultimate Warrior, British Bulldog etc. who could easily fit into an Indian's description of a role model. The Indians could relate to these great superstars & looked upon them as heroes.

The WWF Euphoria had well and truly gripped the entire nation. Amidst this Euphoria came the first and only (to date) WWF official tour of India. Various top superstars of the federation like The Hitman, Owen Hart, The Undertaker, Diesel and others exhibited their great skills before packed stadiums. For the fans it was a dream come true and they made sure that their superstars were welcomed to an overwhelming reception. It was a great tour and showed how the WWF had become a part of an Indian's life. It was certainly the "best of times".

Unfortunately all good things come to an end and so did the WWF's romance with India.

The relationship that started back in 1992 was already showing signs of a break-up.

It was probably the WWF itself that was to be blamed for this deterioration.

I personally feel that the seeds of the break-up were sown somewhere around 1997 when the WWF went through a face change. The first blow came when Bret Hart left and Stone Cold Steve Austin entered, and with him came the new WWF "Attitude."

Stone Cold was just the opposite of an Indian role model, he was a brat, a self-centered, don't trust anybody guy. This newfound "Attitude" and Stone Cold Steve Austin were completely unacceptable to the Indian psyche. With the advent of the new "Attitude" disappeared role models and principles. What was left was unethical, immoral and unacceptable. More damage was done with the decline in the moral standards. The Indian fans could never relate to the sight of a son hitting and abusing his father, even if it was "for the business."

Things got worst as vulgarity and obscenity turned a wrestling show into a "Soap Opera." As a result of this decline the Indian fans turned their backs on the WWF and decided to abandon the show. The WWF ratings went down drastically and it was recently taken off the air. It is surely the "worst of times."

Being an ardent fan, I hope that those running the show will realize the importance of earning the respect and loyalty of the fans. After all, at the end of the day, it's the fans that matter the most.