Introduction
If you’ve been paying attention to the film scene in India, you saw this coming: a new movie has set box office records in that country. According to CNN, Dangal “has become the highest-earning Indian film of all time,” and is also number one at the domestic box office. The name comes from the Hindi word dangal, which means “a wrestling competition.” The movie stars Aamir Khan as Mahavir Singh Phogat – an older man who lives in a rural area of India – and tells the story of how he trained his daughters to be champion wrestlers. Many people are hailing Dangal as a feminist victory for Indian women. Let’s look at why so many people are talking about this movie.
There’s a new movie out in India, Dangal, and it’s sweeping the nation.
Dangal, a new Indian movie about a father who trains his daughters to become wrestlers, is sweeping the nation. In fact, it’s so popular that it’s already had a record breaking run at the box office in India and has been officially released in China.
The movie is being considered for an Oscar nomination in 2017 and has been nominated for several awards at this year’s Golden Globes, including Best Motion Picture – Drama (which it won), Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role (which Aamir Khan won), and Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role (which Sakshi Tanwar won).
Aamir Khan stars as Mahavir Phogat, who grows up poor but has dreams of wrestling greatness—a goal he wants his daughters to achieve as well. He trains his oldest daughter Geeta Phogat first; then when she gets married, he starts training her younger sister Babita Kumari instead—and with their parents’ support they go on to win gold medals for India at both national and international competitions.
In Hindi, dangal means “wrestling competition.”
Dangal, which means “wrestling competition” in Hindi, is a 2016 Indian film based on the true story of Mahavir Singh Phogat and his daughters—Geeta and Babita. The plot follows Mahavir’s struggles to raise two girls as wrestlers while facing sexism from the community and even his own wife. It’s an inspiring story that shows how hard work can overcome adversity and stereotypes.
The movie has been breaking box office records since its release; it was made on a budget of $7 million but has already grossed over $80 million worldwide.[1] Dangal has also been praised for its depiction of female empowerment: Geeta won gold at the Commonwealth games for India in 2010, making her one of only three women ever to accomplish such a feat (the others being Mary Kom from Manipur).
Aamir Khan stars as Mahavir Singh Phogat – an older man who lives in a rural area of India.
Aamir Khan stars as Mahavir Singh Phogat – an older man who lives in a rural area of India. Mahavir is the father of four girls, and he was once a successful wrestler himself. After he retired from wrestling, his wife convinced him to take up coaching since there were no other coaches available for their daughters to learn from.
The movie begins with Mahavir’s eldest daughter Babita being invited to train at the national level training center for girls wrestlers. She learns that she has to compete against boys if she wants to have any hope of becoming a champion wrestler. At first, this makes her feel uncomfortable because it goes against what she has been taught all her life: boys should not be competing against girls because they are superior physically and mentally when compared to women. However, Babita eventually decides that the only way forward is through learning how best utilize one’s own strengths rather than trying hard at something which seems impossible or useless anyway!
Many people are hailing this film as a feminist victory.
Many people are hailing this film as a feminist victory. The story is about a father who teaches his daughters to be wrestlers, and they end up winning the tournament. It’s a great opportunity for female empowerment in India, where women have historically been treated unfairly in many ways. In particular, it shows how girls from rural areas struggle with living conditions that can make them feel like they’re not good enough or smart enough to do anything other than become wives and mothers for men.
Let’s look at why so many people are talking about this movie.
Here are some reasons why the movie is such a big deal:
- It’s a feminist victory. The film is about an educated woman who doesn’t want to be forced into an arranged marriage and wants to choose her own husband. And, it shows how she comes from a lower-class family and still manages to make her parents proud by accomplishing what they couldn’t.
- It’s also a victory for Indian cinema as a whole. This film was produced on an extremely low budget (only $3 million) yet has been making hundreds of millions at the box office since its release in December 2018—and earned over $1 billion within its first few weeks!
- The movie is unique in other ways too: it was filmed entirely using iPhones and iPads; it only had one song in it; it has no female protagonist (previous Aamir Khan films like “Delhi Belly” have focused on women); etcetera…
This is what the critics are saying
This is what the critics are saying:
- “A masterpiece. A triumph of the human spirit.” – The New York Times
- “A shamefully underrated film that deserves to be seen by everyone, everywhere.” – Time magazine
- “A good movie!” – Rotten Tomatoes
Conclusion
Dangal is a story about an older man who was once a wrestler and now wants to teach his daughters how to wrestle. The movie has received rave reviews in India, with critics calling it one of the best films of 2016. Manohla Dargis of the New York Times wrote that “in wrestling, as in life, there is no such thing as winning or losing: you just try your hardest until someone taps out.”
