DANGAL (2016)

Genre: Drama

Running Length: 2:41

Cast: Aamir Khan, Sakshi Tanwar, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Girish Kulkarni, Aparshakti Khurrana, Sanya Malhotra, Zaira Wasim, Suhani Bhatnagar, Ritwik Sahore, 

Director: Nitesh Tiwari

Screenplay: Piyush Gupta, Shreyas Jain, Nikhil Mehrotra, Nitesh Tiwari

DANGAL (the title means 'wrestling') is a technically accomplished film. Everything about the movie looks cinematic and the actors' performance is commendable. That said, just like most sports movie based on a true story, the filmmakers had to add some spices to dramatize an otherwise straight forward narrative. As a result, the film feels predictable especially the 2nd half. 

The story is somewhat divided to two parts. The first half is devoted to establishing the 'madness' of Aamir Khan's character - because he doesn't have a son, he forcefully trains his two daughters to take up wrestling to fulfill his dream of winning a gold medal for India in this sport. The 2nd half is the journey of the two daughters working their way towards winning at the international front. 

The first half is more interesting because it focuses on the relationship between the tough patriarch and his daughters. And like most of Aamir's movies, he challenges the status quo. In Dangal, he breaks the taboo of Indian women participating in a sport dominated by men. His character will do whatever it takes eg. being ridiculed by the villagers, forced his vegetarian daughters to eat chicken meat to build muscles etc; to turn them into winners. 

In the state of Haryana where they come from, women are meant to be married off at a young age and is then relegated to be a baby making factory. "Women belong to the kitchen." So to break free from this vicious cycle, Aamir's character went against the grain and bulldozed his way. 

Desperate times call for desperate measures. 

As for the second half, it plays like a straight forward sports movie. I felt the filmmakers need not demonize the national coach character just so that the audience has a villain to hate. As a result, it came across forced and unbelievable. 

Nevertheless, if I'm an Indian nationality, I believe I would be extremely patriotic especially the last scene. Ola Bola did that to me. And finally, Aamir should be complimented for experimenting with his role (gaining 27kg and losing it within a few months) and more importantly, highlighting the rights of Indian women. 

Rating: 8/10