Subhash K Jha takes a look back at the Aamir Khan starrer, the brilliant Dangal, which released in 2016.
It is sad but true that director Nitesh Tiwari couldn’t reach the heights of Dangal in his subsequent films, not even in the overrated Chichore and certainly in the weird Bawaal.
Dangal is much more than a sports film. It will be remembered by posterity as one of the landmarks of Indian cinema. It’s in the heartbreaking, directness and artlessness, the absolute absence of artifice in the narrative that we discover that mysterious oft-abused entity known as the Real India.
Aamir Khan bulked up to the extent of looking like a tired p, but undefeated has-been, to play wrestler whose determination saw his daughters break through the masculine bastion of wrestling to prove women can do anything men can.
Nitesh admitted to this writer that Dangal could not have been possible without Aamir Khan. It was only after the script was ready that Aamir was considered. Luckily Aamir loved the script and agreed to do Dangal. However he allotted dates after a year. He gave Nitesh the option to go to any other actor if he so desired.
Of course, Nitish preferred to wait.
Dangal is Aamir’s best performance alongside Deepa Mehta’s 1947 Earth and Ram Gopal Varma’s Rangeela. Interestingly, Aamir had a fall-out with both Deepa and Ramu. With Nitesh Aamir’s association remains untainted.
This is because Nitesh allowed Aamir to make his “creative suggestion”. Nitesh would pretend to accept Aamir’s suggestions and then do the scene his own way.
Aamir’s incredible weight enhancement to 97 kgs followed by an even more miraculous weight reduction by 20 kilos for his character of the wrestler in Dangal merits an entire discussion of its own.
Fatima Sana Sheikh who played Aamir’s wrestler daughter in Dangal recalls the experience, “Dangal gave me an opportunity to play such a layered and complex character so early in my career. This film crossed borders and connected with so many people. It changed my whole life. I got the opportunity to work with some incredible people after that. I am now at a position where I have the privilege to choose films for myself. I am recognised for my performances and that’s gratifying.”
