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00:00He was taller than most doors, stronger than almost any man alive and he was so massive that
00:06it took dozens of people to carry him when he passed away. But this isn't the story about
00:12superpowers. This is the story about a real man, a man whose life was equal parts awe-inspiring
00:19and heartbreaking. So who was he and why do people call him the 8th wonder of this world?
00:25So let's rewind. He was born as Andr├й Rene Roussimoff in a small village in France in 1946.
00:33By the age of 12, he stood 6 feet and 3 inches tall. But it wasn't a miracle. It was a rare
00:39condition called acromegaly which causes the body to produce excessive hormones. His hands were as
00:46huge as baseball gloves. His shoe could fit in almost 2 feet of a normal human being. Talking
00:52about his appetite, it was unbelievable as he could eat 12 steaks in one meal and wash it
00:59down with a case of beer. This is the story of Andr├й the Giant. By his late teens, Andr├й
01:05was over 7 feet tall and weighed nearly 400 pounds. His size made daily life almost impossible.
01:12Normal beds were too small for him. No car was so spacious that it could fit the giant. And
01:19airplane seats were no deal for the giant. Even walking through doors became a challenge.
01:25But Andr├й's size also gave him a golden ticket and that was wrestling. Andr├й became a global
01:30sensation in the late 1970s and 80s. They called him the 8th wonder of this world. He wrestled
01:38in front of patch stadiums, often against dozens of opponents at once. And in 1987, he faced
01:45Hulk Hogan in one of the most watched wrestling matches in the history of WrestleMania 3. He
01:51let Hogan win. That's how Andr├й earned respect. But wrestling was just the beginning. Hollywood
01:58came calling. Andr├й starred in the cult classic, The Princess Bride, where his gentle, funny side
02:05shone through. Despite constant pain from his condition, he never complained on set. Actors
02:11said he was kind, humble, and always ready to help. Lifting entire cars off IC roads for example.
02:19But Andr├й paid a heavy price for his fame. His joint ached. His heart strained. He couldn't bend.
02:26He often turned to alcohol to seek relief. Reportedly drinking 119 beers in one sitting.
02:33He joked that it was his only thing that could fit in him.
02:36But inside, Andr├й was lonely. He once said that people don't ask me how am I. They just want to see
02:44the giant. Andr├й passed away in 1993 at just 46 years old, in his sleep after attending his father's
02:51funeral in France. He knew this time was limited, but never let him stop. He was the first ever inductee
02:59into the WWE Hall of Fame. A giant not in size but in heart. Andr├й the giant story isn't about wrestling
03:07or records or size. It's about living big. Despite the pain, it's about embracing what makes you different.
03:14And it is a reminder that sometimes our biggest strengths hide our deepest struggles. So next time
03:21you hear the name Andr├й the giant, remember one thing. He wasn't just a man larger than life,
03:27but he was a man who lived it to the fullest.
03:29Thank you for watching. This is Gaurang Kadam and you are watching Lokmat Times.