Dangal, one of the most acclaimed sports biopic of last year has been an inspiration to many. While the film has been etched in public memory as one of the finest sports movies Bollywood has produced, a group of Chinese fans recently paid a musical tribute to the film.
The film which was also released in China with an extension of its screen time run has reportedly now gone off theatres. However, this did not stop the die-hard Chinese fans from expressing their immense love for the film and the superstar.
A video posted by an Aamir Khan fan club recently on YouTube acts as a testament to that. The video which has become increasingly viral shows a group of Chinese fans dancing to the popular 'Dangal' track 'Dhakkad' to give their tribute to the film.
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, the plotline of the movie revolved around the real life story of Mahavir Singh Phogat and the rise of his two daughters Geeta and Babita.
Mahavir, who hails from Bhiwani district in Haryana was an amateur wrestler who dreamed of bringing glory to the country. The sports drama also illustrates how Mahavir had to break all social norms by making his daughters wrestle with male wrestlers in akharas.
Despite all the obstacles, Mahavir trained his daughters Babita Kumari and Geeta Phogat, as well as his nieces, to become some of the world’s best wrestlers. Both Babita and Geeta have won several accolades for the country.
Also read: 'Dangal' inspires government, akhadas in Haryana to receive 100 wrestling mats
The movie also explicitly highlights the cause of failure for women in sports in India. In a telling scene, Mahavir Phogat is seen being snubbed, when he pleads to a local sports official for funds to buy a wrestling mat so that his budding daughters can practice on it rather than a sand bed. The official claimed that there are barely any funds left for the women’s quota after paying for the men's.
‘Akhada: The authorised biography of Mahavir Singh Phogat’ sheds light on how Mahavir’s elder daughter, Geeta Phogat became the first Indian wrestler to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in 2010, after being trained by her father.
The book also reveals that Mahavir took it upon himself to make his daughters' international wrestlers since he himself could not achieve the dream. Following his daughter’s success, Mahavir was honored with the prestigious Dronacharya Award from the Government of India.
