Dangal: review

Watched a movie after a long long time. Many things made this movie mandatory to watch. Its a sports based movie. I am a big fan of this genre. I have, infact, searched all the list of such movies made across the world and have seen atleast 80% of them. Back then, I used to wonder, why no sports based movies are made in India. But, then came "Chak De" and later few more to follow.

Another reasons to watch the movie, were the ratings given by Times of India review ( 4.5) and huge income made by the movie (155 crores) in just 4 days. Every other person, ended up recommending me this movie. 

But, one of the most significant reasons that pushed me to book the ticket was an attempt to try out the offer given on ICICI credit card of one free ticket for one ticket bought using the card. Apparently, it doesn't work. Every time you try to avail this offer, it says " You just missed it. Try again at 3.00, or 7.00, or ----". So, it was a mistake to get a credit card just to get those free tickets. Luckily, an ad about movie floating on my facebook helped me get me a discount of ~ Rs.150. So, some benefit.

So, finally I gave in, and watched this movie yesterday evening. I must say a commendable attempt in making this movie. Its visible, how much efforts have been taken to make this movie. It also makes me wonder, how Aamir Khan ends up making movies on odd stories, but still manages to be the center point aka hero of the movie. 

To talk in more details, I loved the first half of the movie. It seems like a genuine story. A person, failing to fulfil his dream, tries to follow it again using different route, making girls enter the Dangal. The efforts taken makes it feel realistic. The characters of young Geeta and Babita  played by two girls are awesome. It presents their journey to Akhada in a comical way. The song during their practice session is just phenomenal. The making of Geeta and Babita into wrestlers, that makes the major part of first half is really wonderful and worth watching.

In the second half though, the story kind of become an Indian movie. Quite a lot of cinematic liberty seem to have been taken. The story seem to have been exaggerated a bit to portray better sides of Mahavir Phogat over others. Putting some words in the Australian wrestlers mouth also seemed unnecessary. The story of the coach might partly be true. Having myself played Badminton and seen the altogether different work culture of two coaches, makes me believe it. The real wrestling action has been shot in a most authentic way. While watching those bouts, it felt like we are watching some real wrestling match. Somewhere, I felt, the movie ended up with concentrating  on Mahavir Phogat's attention on Geeta only. It kind became a two character story. Babita is completely sidelined. While there were worries and discussion shownabout Geets's matches, Babita's matches were never discussed, although she also won a silver in the same tournament. How did the coach treated Babita, and how did she responded to that treatment (while strongly believing in her father unlike Geeta). Nothing about it.

Ofcourse Aamir has done everything to fit in the character. But somehow, I could not unsee him while watching Mahavir Phogat. In every screen, I found him Aamir Khan only. Incontrast, when I saw "Chak De", I found Kabir Khan there, and not Shahrukh Khan. But that is my perspective.

So, over all recommendation. It is a worth watching movie. Must see and must shown movie. I don't agree with 4.5 star rating of Times though, I will give 3 - 3.5 stars to the movie.Watch it for the love of sports and upliftment it might bring to the situation of Women in India.