As the girls’ coach, he forces them to wake up at 5 a.m. Khan - a notorious perfectionist who reportedly gained and lost over 50 pounds for his role - turns in a moving performance in a complex and not-always-sympathetic role. Special mention goes to Zaira Wasim and Suhani Bhatnagar as the young Geeta and Babita, respectively Shaikh and Sanya Malhotra as the adult Geeta and Babita TV actress Sakshi Tanwar as Singh’s wife and Girish Kulkarni as a demanding National Sports Academy coach at odds with Singh’s old-fashioned training techniques. But instead of blood, bruises and machismo we see a lightning-fast match of wits and technique over brawn, enhanced by convincing performances from the film’s athletic young stars.

Not only do the family scenes ring true, but Tiwari approaches the wrestling sequences with intelligence and sensitivity. Ultimately, Dangal is effective because it’s so thrilling to watch. Many of Khan’s films over the decades have packed a complex, subtle message into three-plus hours of song and dance: PK (2014) explored the absurdities of religion 3 Idiots (2009) charted the effects of stratospheric expectations on of a trio of engineering students Taare Zameen Par ( 2007), which he directed, revealed what goes on in the mind of a dyslexic child and the Oscar-nominated Lagaan (2001) reflected India’s battle for independence as seen through the eyes of a motley batch of cricket players. Their father realizes he has some potential champions living under his roof, but he and his girls will have to fight back against centuries of tradition to make it happen. In a charming early scene, young teenager Geeta and her little sister, Babita, come home dusty and disheveled - and victorious - after a tussle with some neighborhood boys. He longs to pass on the tradition to a son, but when his wife gives birth to a daughter, and then another (four in all), he assumes his dream is finished.

Mahavir Singh Phogat (Khan) is a talented wrestler from a small town in Haryana who has won national gold medals but can’t afford to pursue an international career.

Bollywood Star Aamir Khan Talks Female Empowerment Found in New Film 'Dangal,' Hollywood Aspirations

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