April 23, 2024

Aamir Khan is still playing lover to young heroines. Hence, playing a 55 year old former wrestler who trains his two daughters in the sport was a huge commercial risk for him. But the actor is known to be different and loves challenges. So he has made Dangal, a sports biopic that tells the story of Mahavir Singh Pogat and his two daughters, Geeta and Babita, both of whom brought glory for the nation by winning gold and silver medal in wrestling at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

The buzz is that the movie is fantastic and Aamir has done a great job. Those who have seen the advance promotional shows are going gaga. Karan Johar for one has tweeted that he has not seen a better film in over a decade and was rendered speechless when the lights were turned on. That’s a huge compliment from one who is not given to effusive praise if it is not due.

If Sultan had made it with just star power without any strong story line, Dangal is expected to captivate viewers with the grit and glory angle. Haryana, wrestling and girls are turning out to be the new winning formula. The presence of Aamir is a huge bonus of course. Perfectionist that he is, Aamir is looking stunning in the promos and posters.

One would have thought that Sultan’s release would have dampened the mood in the “Dangal” camp. After all, two films based on wrestling in quick succession might not find acceptance with the audience. But the buzz is that Aamir is shrewdly going to leverage the success of Sultan to reap dividends for Dangal. But if the film is anywhere as good as Karan Johar vouches, it is going to strike a chord with the people and will add to Aamir’s list of hugely successful films. It releases on 23rd December. Don’t miss it if you love Hindi films.