Raj Dhesi, aka Jinder Mahal, says WWE Unreal is a powerful tool for advancing the wrestling business, arguing that the best modern storylines come from blending real life with on-screen fiction.
Speaking on the Busted Open podcast, Dhesi addressed the debate over the Netflix series that pulls back the curtain on WWE’s creative process.
The way that I see the business going and even what it is today, the best storylines are blending what’s happening and happened in your real life and bringing that somehow on screen. That’s why I really believe WWE Unreal is such a great tool to move the business forward. I know everybody has their opinion on it, some people disagree entirely with pulling the curtain back and exposing the business. The business has been exposed. It’s fine, we all know what it is. It’s the intersection of art and sports, it’s the perfect intersection, now, through that show, you can share struggles. Really build that personal connection and bring those into storylines or maybe you plant a storyline within Unreal — everything is a work anyway. You plant something in Unreal and then bring it into Raw and it moves the needle forward.
WWE Unreal has run for two seasons on Netflix, offering a behind-the-scenes look at WWE’s creative and backstage drama including John Cena’s heel turn and other major storylines. The show has drawn mixed reactions from fans and wrestling veterans, with some praising the transparency and others critical of the exposure of the business.
