Is Dangal a true story? Know truth about the highest grossing Indian film of all time

Dangal is a biographical drama sports film directed by Nitish Tiwari that released in December 2016. film follows a pehelwani amateur wrestler Mahavir Singh Photgat who trains his daughters Geeta Phogat and Babita Kumari to become India's first world-class female wrestlers. film was a record-breaking commercial success, becoming highest-grossing Indian film ever,  highest-grossing sports film worldwide, and fifth highest-grossing n-English film ever. So is Dangal a true story? 

Is Dangal a true story?

Dangal is loosely based on Phogat family in Haryana. According to Mans World India, Mahavir Singh trained under Chandgi Ram, a Pma Shri winner, in Delhi after which he became a successful mercenary wrestler and won numerous dangals in various vills of Himachal, Uttar Presh, Punjab, and or states. Mahavir decided to train his daughters in year 2000 when Indian weightlifter Karnam Malaeshwari became  first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal. He trained his daughters in a sport that was tritionally male-dominated and in a state which was kwn for inequality and low sex ratio. Phogat quit his job at Haryana State Electricity Board to give more time to his daughter’s training and girls used to practice with boys since re were or girls who practiced this sport at time. However, people did t let m fight at local dangals due to conservative views and he took m to Sports Authority of India Centre in Sonipat where y trained furr.

While movie based on a real story, director Nitish Tiwari allowed himself some cinematic liberties. According to Better India, while movie showed that Mahavir Phogat desperately wanted a boy to win a gold medal for country but gets four girls inste, in reality, it was his wife who wished for a boy since girls were considered as a liability in 80s. In movie, Geeta Phogat did t win a single tournament before Commonwealth Game in 2010, but in reality, she won a gold medal at Commonwealth Wrestling Championship in 2009, in 55kg freestyle wrestling category. In movie, Geeta struggled to win gold medal match in which scores a five-pointer in nail-biting final round with a scoreline of 5-1, 4-6, and 6-5. However, in reality, she completely dominated her opponent and won match in just two rounds and her scoreline was 1-0, 7-0.

Dangal Movie review and awards

Dangal received positive reviews from critics and praise was centered on film's honest depiction of real-life story. film was also screened at Beijing International Film Festival in April 2017 and second BRICS festival in June 2017. Dangal won Best Asian Film award at Australia’s 7th AACTA Awards, 2017s Best Foreign Film at China's Daouban Film Awards, and two Jackie Chan Action Movie Awards. film won Best Film and Best Action Awards at 62nd Filmfare Awards.

Promo Im Source: Still from Dangal trailer