Movie Review - Dangal

(Reproduced from my FB post dated 24th Dec 2016)
For a change I would like to first give my rating for this biopic and then write the review - It is a ***** movie and here is why:
Right from the word go, this 161 minutes movie has value packed in every minute. The movie is about Mahavir Singh Phogat whose role is depicted by Aamir Khan in the most realistic manner. The dialogues which are mostly in Haryanvi accent added great flavour to the screenplay. The title song is good. The audience are in splits during the first half of the movie in which Mahavir who dreams of winning a gold medal for India in international wrestling by having a son, fails and ends up having four girl children instead. The 'chora' and 'chori' episodes amuse the audience to the hilt. The needlessly apologetic wife's role is played very neatly by Sakshi Tanwar. 
One day Mahavir realises that his two elder daughters Geeta( Zaira Wasim) and Babita (Suhani Bhatnagar) are far superior to boys when a neighbouring family comes complaining that their sons were beaten black and blue by the two girls. It then strikes Mahavir that he was wrong in thinking that wrestling is only for sons. He decides to train his two daughters in wrestling much against his wife's wish and other villagers' beliefs. The second song "Haanikarak Bapu" during which the training goes on is too good. He gets ridiculed by the villagers and the daughters become a laughing stock at school in the process of evolving. But nobody dares to say a word as he is wrestler and none wants to meddle with him. The entire first half is a complete entertainer with the girls getting trained and Geeta ending up winning medals at state and national level. Both Zaria and Suhani did a great job as the young Geeta and Babita setting the ground for the elder lot. The first part also highlights the apathy of the government in dealing with sportspersons and the medal winners for the nation in a very subtle yet impactful manner. It also shows how much hardship one has to go through and the sacrifices great achievers make to reach the pinnacle in life. 
While the first half is fun, the second half is full of emotions and sports action which are pictured well in a gripping and entertaining manner. Most part of the second half is touching and the 'dangal' between Geeta and Naomi and Geeta and Angelina were well shot. Fatima Sana Shaikh played the senior Geeta role with finesse and Sanya Malhotra played the senior Babita role impressively. Girish Kulkarni who acted as the national coach did his role naturally. Music by Pritam is quite good especially in the title song and 'haanikarak bapu' song. The background score synced very well with the screenplay. 
Aamir Khan has pulled off yet again with a great story based on real life. He seems to move towards perfection with every movie.
Director Nitesh Tiwari needs to be congratulated for having done a fantastic job. Keep it up Nitesh and the whole crew of Dangal. 
Hope you will share a good amount of the collections with the real Mahavir, Geeta, Babita and a part of it for sports promotion in remotest villages of India.