Dangal Movie Review

Rating: Null/10 (19 November 2019)

After seeing this movie, I got reminded of famous sher by Ghalib -' Sarsari Tum Jahan -se Gujre, Warna Har Ja Jahan-e Digar tha. Which means, you lived life in such a cursory manner ( sarsari means shallow ) otherwise at every step/place/milestone, there was a story to be heard / learning was possible. We have given Dangal Movie Review based on how the cast performs at different intervals in the movie, This review will let you know how good is the movie to watch.
Most of the movie makers so far (especially till the 90s) really went around movie making in a very cursory manner and took us for a ride assuming that "public will not like a particular thing" & fed us trash all along. There are handful exceptions although, but really very few. Our Dangal Movie Review will get you through the role each character has played in the movie, Well the review of Dangal Movie also consists whether the actors have performed to the expectations or not.
As a result, we missed out so many stories, like 'Dangal'.
Dangal is the story that ought to be/had to be told, and lessons were to be learned & it made me realize about the capability of a storyteller, to pick a thread/germ, and stretch it, scale it up, on basic human emotion's graph, and weave it, in such an inspiring , and engaging & awesome manner.
As we all know by now, it's a story of Mahavir Singh Phogat, a wrestler from Haryana, who sees potential in his daughters Geeta (Fatima Sana Shaikh) and Babita (Sanya Malhotra, to become world class wrestlers, and works towards it, and makes it happen. While Geeta (Fatima Sana Shaikh) and Babita (Sanya Malhotra), portray the adult versions of the two Phogat Sisters, Zaira Wasim and Suhani Bhatnagar their younger versions, Daya Shobha Kaur ( Sakshi Tanwar ) their mother, and Omkar ( Aparshakti Khurana ) their cousin.
But the real delight is in the finer details, and intricate emotions depicted in a very balanced manner, assuming that the viewer has a reasonably high intelligence & emotional quotient. ( So Sajid Khan & Rohit Shetty movie fans, should stay away from this movie )
So the story and most importantly the screenplay (which captures what will you see on the screen) of the movie gets 100% marks.
Instead of getting into story-specific issues, I will highlight some aspects of the screenplay which deserve accolades and appreciation.
But before that, one striking feature of the elder daughter Geeta ( played by Fatima Sana ) is that she resembles to Priyanka Gandhi. Her mannerisms ( especially when she is drifting away from the sport ) & the way she carries herself, are 100% like Priyanka Gandhi- Smart, Savvy, Bright & confident and well dressed & well mannered.
The first hallmark of the screenplay is the length and depth. They complement each other. Unlike in the movie - Dhoni-The untold story - the writer didn't know where to stop thus ended up, making a very long movie (actually a very very long movie ) although that story was also an exceptional one, and still held ground, in spite of its long reel length, mainly due to the glorious end / achievements of Dhoni , we all knew already.
The screenplay of Dangal is tight and fast-paced, & does not get melancholic or melodramatic & the writer navigates such possible pitfalls masterfully, with a dash of humor and pun and a bit of fun, without overdoing it, in any manner.
The first test of the mettle of the director and the screenplay writer comes, when Geeta's first bout with male wrestler begins. An ordinary filmmaker would use (rather a misuse) this opportunity, to use the slur in verbal and physical form - to bring in the element of shock value (which is often used & overdone, by directors like Anurag Kashyap). This scene becomes the hallmark, and a pivotal point in the movie, as the director, handles this scene very beautifully, and the viewer gets conditioned to the high-quality emotional drama which is wrapped up in an earthy, physical sport like wrestling. This scene also captures the various finer nuances of the wrestling as a sport and introduces the viewer how to enjoy this sport, without any hard selling, or without overemphasizing any aspects of it.
Geeta's next wins in various bouts become our wins and our successes and viewer starts identifying himself/herself in Geeta's triumphs & tribulations.
Geeta then goes to NSA ( National Sports Academy ) and here onwards she really looks like Priyanka Gandhi and looks fabulous and charming but starts losing in bouts as she stresses on techniques instead of focusing on winning the game.
The second hallmark of the screenplay is at a juncture, when it captures her internal struggle & the anxiety & confusion on what to follow / whom to get mentored by / who to get coached by - in a very balanced manner without overdoing it. This is the difficult part, as it would have not looked good / may not have gone well, with the overall tone of the movie so far, if it was captured in lengthy monologues or with sad songs playing in the background ( which is the normal course taken by most filmmakers like Karan Johar).
The third milestone is about the wrestling match between the father and daughter wherein, each one is trying to prove a point, and thus ends up hurting each other emotionally and mentally and drifts away from each other. The picturization, the taking and the way this scene is nuanced & projected , shows that our cinema can be far superior at emotional level than any other cinema in the world and it is capable of striking a chord that can compel you to become that ' character " for that moment and embrace their sorrow and grief.
The last and final hallmark of this wonderful movie is when the Commonwealth Games begin and Geeta is struggling to cope up with match pressures and the challenges of the international players/opponents and their technique is driven power games. The real skill of the screenplay writer and the director is proven here, one more time in a very emphatic manner. Each bout is skillfully captured by allowing/enabling the viewer to appreciate the game & the struggle Geeta is going through and her resolve to win each and every point in the game and in turn win for her father as by that time both have reconciled to the past misunderstanding and the bonds of love & respect for each other & for the sport have become the driving force for Geeta.
The controversial aspect of Geeta's father being locked up in the room by her official coach while her final match is about to begin adds to the drama & I believe that writer has used his creative freedom to twist the real facts to create this high pitch point in the movie.
Pramod Kadam's ( Girish Kulkarni - the government nominated Team coach ) does full justice to his character and I am actually fearful that he should not get typecast in such roles in the Hindi cinema here onwards.
Aamir Khan proves the point, that, movie making is a collaborative art form and a kraft that very few can nuance it, in such fine manner, as he does.
The Dangal film's music is composed by Pritam. Lyrics are penned by Amitabh Bhattacharya in Hindi. Daler Mehndi sung a song in the film.
Overall it's a must watch movie and should not be missed by anyone. Let us know your thoughts about Dangal Movie Review in the comments below.
Â© Milind Ghangrekar