Dangal (2016)

A former wrestler in Haryana trains his daughters to win the medal he never could. Based on a true story.

Aamir Khan, Sakshi Tanwar and director Nitesh Tiwari on the set of Dangal
Year
2016
Language
Hindi
Director
Nitesh Tiwari
Starring
Aamir Khan, Sakshi Tanwar, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Sanya Malhotra, Zaira Wasim, Suhani Bhatnagar
Also
Based on the life of wrestler Mahavir Singh Phogat

The story

Mahavir Singh Phogat, a former national wrestling champion, wanted a son to win an international gold for India. When his daughters Geeta and Babita beat up two boys, he realises they have the talent, and starts training them, against the mockery of his village.

The film follows Geeta from village dirt rings to the Commonwealth Games, and the strained relationship between a demanding father and his grown-up daughter.

Why it matters

  • It is among the highest-grossing Indian films ever, with a remarkable run in China.
  • It brought women's wrestling, and the Phogat family, to a huge audience.
  • Aamir Khan gained a lot of weight to play the older Mahavir.

Where to watch

Dangal is available on licensed streaming services. Availability changes from country to country and month to month; see how to find a legal stream. Please don't use pirate download sites: they are illegal in India and a common source of malware.

More films

Sholay (1975)Sholay (1975): the story, the cast, and why Ramesh Sippy's 'curry western' about Jai, Veeru and Gabbar Singh is still the most quoted Hindi film.Mother India (1957)Mother India (1957): Mehboob Khan's epic of a village woman's struggle, Nargis's landmark performance, and the film's Oscar nomination.Mughal-e-Azam (1960)Mughal-e-Azam (1960): K. Asif's lavish Mughal romance of Prince Salim and Anarkali, its famous colour song, and the 2004 colourised release.Pather Panchali (1955)Pather Panchali (1955): Satyajit Ray's first film, the opening of the Apu Trilogy, and why it changed how the world saw Indian cinema.Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995)Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ, 1995): the romance of Raj and Simran, and the film that has played at Mumbai's Maratha Mandir for decades.Lagaan (2001)Lagaan (2001): villagers take on British officers in a cricket match to escape a crushing tax. Story, cast and its Oscar nomination.