Community is at the Centre of Singhs in the Ring
Singhs in the Ring. Photo courtesy of Cinegenie - APG.
Raj Singh knows how to command a room. The first time I saw him at Dungeon Wrestling’s SLAMPEDE match, the loudest voices in the room didn’t belong to the wrestlers in the ring, but to the kids in the front rows. When I mentioned the fervour in the kid’s voices as they yelled for Singh to kill his opponent. Singh laughs, “outside of Calgary, I’m known as a really big villain, but not here in Calgary.”
This contradiction — villain to some, but a hero at home — defines his persona. “I want to bring out that inner child in everybody at the show,” he says. “I also want to go out of my way to shake hands with the little kids… really show everybody that I’m here for you, and I’m here because of your support.”
That same ethos drives Singhs in the Ring, his new documentary premiering at the Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF) this September. Directed by Edmonton’s Akash Sherman, the film traces the intertwined journeys of Raj and his father, the Stampede Wrestling legend, Gama Singh.
Family is the clear heart of the film. “Nothing beats family. That’s number one,” he says. When I ask who his favourite guest appearance in the documentary, it isn’t superstars Bret Hart, Lance Storm or Chelsea Green — though they all make cameos — he immediately says his mom. “She makes her on-screen debut,” he says. Despite her reservations about being on camera, Singh insisted, “you’re going to be in there a hundred percent.” His brother, sister-in-law and cousin (fellow pro-wrestler Jinder Mahal) also appear, underscoring his point that wrestling legacies don’t happen without strong support systems.
Singhs in the Ring. Photo courtesy of Cinegenie - APG.
His father’s decision decades ago to put down roots in Alberta has shaped Raj’s life. The documentary highlights the life-changing affects wrestling has had on his family and as the industry shifts, he’s grateful that the community support hasn’t gone anywhere. “There's a resurgence, not only in Alberta,” and these effects are felt throughout the industry, “the guys and girls that have aspirations and dreams of making it, they have places to work. You can go to Vancouver, the next week you can be in Saskatoon, then you can fly across to Toronto. It's coming back and there are more and more people loving professional wrestling again.”
The film also pushes back against the tired dismissal of wrestling as “fake.” “It’s art and art is real,” he says. “Anyone that comes to a local show gets to see the sweat slapping off of somebody when they get thrown onto the mat.”
As Singhs in the Ring looks back at the legacy of wrestling in Alberta, Raj is also pushing it forward. He recently launched the Stampede City Wrestling Academy, a training ground for the next generation of Alberta wrestlers. “Hopefully we get another 20, 30 years of great wrestlers from Calgary, really representing the city and the culture we have here,” he says. He’ll be joined by Dungeon Wrestling’s Chris Knight, fellow hometown hero (and Dark Match film star!) Mo Jabari, and mentors like Lance Storm and Gama Singh himself, who will step in on occasion for seminars and critiques. It’s an extension of his community-minded ethos, he’s now physically creating the space for others to succeed.
The Calgary premiere is both a homecoming and celebration, with his father, Gama Singh, his cousin Jinder Mahal, and producers Shane Fennessey and Adam Scorgie in attendance. Singhs in the Ring is a reflection of how community, family, and legacy converge, both in the ring and outside of it.
Singhs in the Ring will premiere at the Calgary International Film Festival on September 24. There will be a second screening at the Chinook Cineplex on September 27. Tickets are available at www.ciffcalgary.ca.