Dangal

Mahavir Singh Phogat, a national wrestling champion who never won an Olympic medal, hands the ambition to his daughters. Geeta and Babita learn to wrestle against the whole village. Nitesh Tiwari directed. Aamir Khan plays Phogat. Khan went through a heavy transformation: he gained around 30 kilos to play Phogat at sixty and then lost it to play the same man young. Principal photography began in September 2015 in villages across Punjab and Haryana. The box office became a phenomenon: 2,024 crore rupees worldwide, roughly 311 million dollars. It set records as both the highest-grossing Indian film and the highest-grossing Indian film abroad, with China alone accounting for about 216.2 million. Rotten Tomatoes sits at 89 percent. One critic wrote that there is not a trace of superstar about Aamir Khan here and called the performance a masterclass. It won four Filmfare Awards: Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor and Best Action. Zaira Wasim won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress. It opened a wide argument about women's visibility in sport; some countered that despite the empowerment theme the story runs on the father's will and keeps the patriarchal shape intact. Who it is for: viewers who like sports films and true stories. Who it is not for: anyone unwilling to excuse the father's methods. The film presents the forced haircuts and training as sacrifice, and that framing is contested.