The conversation surrounding Dangal currently is, whether or not it is a feminist movie. While that debate is still open, it certainly is a story about empowering women, literally as well as figuratively. This biopic on the lives of Olympic Gold medallists Geeta and Babita Phogat, who were trained as wrestlers by their national level wrestler father Mahavir Singh Phogat against all odds, makes for a compelling movie-watching experience. In a world which treats women like unwanted burdens that their parents desperately try to get rid of - either by drowning them as babies in a vat of milk or by getting them married off to absolute strangers at a painfully young age - here is a father who, after overcoming his initial prejudices, fights both social prejudice against gender and practical obstacles of various kinds to build his daughters into formidable wrestlers who are competent and dedicated enough to win Gold medals for their country at an international level.
As a movie, Dangal does wonders. From witty, dry humour that elevates otherwise run-of-the-mill sequences to deft characterisation to a respectful focus on the techniques of the sport to an emotionally engaging drama and finally a cathartic climax, Dangal has you glued to the screen, cheering on the girls as they battle both their own shortcomings and social and institutional discrimination and mockery to emerge victorious. Being a biopic, the script stays true to the general trajectory of the real-life narrative but takes ample cinematic liberties in order to incorporate more dramatic moments into the movie, which at times disservice not only the message being conveyed to the audience but, in one instance, also amounts to a wrongful and insulting depiction of a key character in the movie.
While it is true that biopics need to take some artistic liberties to make the life story of a personality more gripping and powerful, the question that Dangal makes one ask is, how much, and at what cost?
This is a movie that leaves you with a lot of inspiration, a few questions, and an unmistakable feeling of pride for these two brilliant yet unsung sporting heroes of our country.
Enakshi is a major in Literature and Linguistics, and is currently pursuing her PhD in Linguistics from JNU, New Delhi. She adores watching movies, reading, singing, chilling with her friends and family when she is not doing what she loves the most of all: eating and sleeping ;)
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Disclaimer: Above expressed are the personal views of the author, and the publisher or the author disclaim all, and any liability and responsibility, to any person on any action taken on reliance of it.