The first thing you notice about Braun Strowman is that he is really tall. After all, the man is over six foot five inches. Known as The Monster, Strowman was in Mumbai as part of his promotional tour for WWE. This is the WWE Superstar’s second time in the country but unfortunately, he hasn’t had much time to go sight-seeing. “I haven’t gotten to see a whole lot of the sights because we’ve been really really busy with this tour, doing media and promoting the new games and the WWE app and stuff and everything that’s coming out in the future,” he says.

The promotional tour has kept Strowman’s nose to the grindstone but he’s still feeling all the love that his fans have been showering on him. One of those fans is a star in his own right – Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan. Dhawan met Strowman and shared a photo on his social media with the caption: “Braun Strowman ‘The monster’ and me get into a flexing contest. Great guy had a lot of fun meeting him thank you WWE for setting it up.” The duo also hit the gym where they struck a D-generation X signature pose together, reports The Indian Express.

What’s his daily workout routine like, I ask.

“Depending on what day it is, I just spend an hour or hour and a half in the gym, doing 25 to 30 minutes of cardio and then an hour . . . hour and a half of working out so yeah, this is my routine six-seven days a week and if my body is sore, I take a break when it feels good, I go to the gym,” he says.

Surprisingly, Strowman doesn’t really follow a strict diet, like one would assume. He eats a lot and just monitors what he eats, is all. The WWE superstar eats a lot, though – around 10,000 calories a day. “It takes a lot to run a 385-pound monster so you’ve got to constantly fuel the machine and just keep it going so yeah, it’s a process and I graze all day long,” he says, smiling.

What many would not know is that while Strowman has been a strongman and is a professional WWE wrestler now, he used to be a mechanic for 11 years, all through school and college and then some. On being asked what he would be if life had not taken this course, he instantly adds that he might have still been “turning wrenches”.

The 34-year-old is a hero for his legion of fans but who does he consider his inspiration?

“My father, without a doubt. He’s the biggest hero in my life. He was a professional athlete and watching him as I was growing up . . . watching his career and everything and the things that he held me (through) and taught me throughout my life are things I hold near and dear to my heart,” he says, without a pause.

To someone who hasn’t watched WWE matches since high school, Strowman comes across as very polite, fun and even though he’s hit gold in his career, he clearly remains a pretty grounded guy.

(Picture credits: Braun Strowman on Instagram)