Showing posts with label Mahavir Singh Phogat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mahavir Singh Phogat. Show all posts
Coach of the Phogat sisters upset with portrayal of his character in Dangal
8:14 AM
National coach PR Sondhi, who’s the anti-hero in Aamir’s piece, upset with portrayal of his character in hit film
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; December 28, 2016)
Aamir Khan-starrer Dangal may have won over critics, movie buffs as well as grapplers, but former wrestling coach P R Sondhi is hardly amused.
The man, who had trained the Phogat sisters ahead of their participation in the 2010 Commonwealth Games, is miffed with the makers for showing a character modelled after him in a negative light.
Sondhi says he is aware that few fictional events were added to make the film entertaining, but it should not have been at his expense. “They have changed the name to PR Kadam in the film, but somewhere the character is loosely based on my life. I have known Mahavirji (Phogat, wrestling coach and father of Geeta and Babita Phogat) for many years and he is a thorough gentleman. His two daughters have trained under me for more than three years and not once did he interfere. I don’t understand the need to show the character as such a taskmaster. There were four other coaches, who were also involved [in the training], but they haven’t been shown in the film at all,” he says.
The 70-year-old argues the film’s final scene is purely fictional — the coach is seen locking Mahavir in a room during the Games so that he is not able to cheer for his daughter. “Distortion of facts has hurt my reputation. Once I watch the film, I will speak to the wrestling federation. I also plan to meet Aamir and seek an explanation.”
Sondhi met Aamir in Ludhiana when he was shooting for the film there. “Kripashankar Patel Bishnoi, who trained Aamir for Dangal, has been my student. When we all met, Aamir asked me general questions about wrestling, but not once did he discuss anything about the film. He should have told me how they were planning to portray the coach’s character,” he says.
Aamir Khan fulfills his promise; organizes Dangal screening for Balali?
8:07 AM
Upala KBR (DNA; December 28, 2016)
Aamir Khan organised a screening of Dangal at Balali in Haryana (where Mahavir Phogat and his family reside) last week as he had promised the villagers.
Says an insider, “When Aamir went for Geeta Phogat’s wedding in November this year, everyone was insisting for a screening. Since the nearest theatre is approximately 100 kms away from the village, Aamir made arrangements for one big screening. He had booked the entire theatre and organised everything from the snacks to the transportation.”
The entire village, comprising over 500 people, was present for the screening. “Post the movie, they all called and spoke to him. Aamir was very happy with the kind of response he received from them. Even Mahavir and his family were touched.”
Aamir Khan to take on pehelwans in real akhara in Kolhapur; to also participate in milk drinking competition
8:11 AM
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; December 17, 2016)
It's not for nothing that Aamir Khan is called Mr Perfectionist. The star went the whole hog to look like the quintessential Haryanvi wrestler in his next, Dangal, gaining weight and then getting back in ship shape.
Aamir’s dedication has not only left fans impressed, but the wrestling community too. Veteran wrestler Rustam-e-Hind Dadu Chougule, who heads Motibagh Akhara in Kolhapur, one of the oldest akharas in the country, will host the Aamir this Monday.
The invitation letter reads, “We are touched by the idea of getting kushti to mainstream through the movie and inspiring the young generation to indulge in the sport. We respect Aamir and want to honour him.”
Dadu’s son Vinod Chougule, also a pehlwaan, said, “The trailer of Dangal is really impressive. My father knows Mahavir Phogat [wrestling coach who Aamir will play on screen] and we have always been inspired by his work and admire him. Aamir has done a brilliant job and looks like an actual wrestler in the film.”
He adds that preparations to felicitate the actor are underway. “It is gracious of him to accept our invitation. Our pehlwaans are going to showcase their skills before him and we would love it if he joins us for a fun round of kushti. We also plan to challenge him to a milk drinking competition. So, we hope he is ready to face the test.” The actor’s spokesperson says, “It is a privilege for Aamir to be honoured by one of the most prestigious and traditional akharas of India.”
Aamir Khan to finally start shooting for Dangal next week?
9:07 AM
DNA (August 25, 2015)
After a six-month preparation for the role as a wrestler in Dangal, Aamir Khan who has put on 22 kilos is all set to start shooting for the film next month. The film based on the story of Mahavir Phogat was to roll in April, but since the rest of the cast was not yet locked, it got postponed. With newcomers Fatima Shaikh and Sanya Malhotra playing his daughters and Sakshi Tanwar essaying his wife the cast is in place and the film will begin its shoot in Haryana, where Mahavir is based. Buzz is that the wrestler will be present on the sets during the shoot to guide Aamir. Apparently, the actor himself has requested Mahavir to be there and give him feedback on his role. The film is about Mahavir and how he trains his daughters leading them to glory in the sport. The film will be shot in areas where rural Olympics are held. After the three-month schedule that ends in December, the shooting will commence in March during which time Aamir will shed all the extra weight and go back to his Dhoom 3 physique.
Haryanvi athlete outrun Akshara Haasan, Taapsee Pannu to play Aamir Khan's daughter in Dangal?
10:32 AM
Bharati Dubey (MID-DAY; April 18, 2015)
Makers of the upcoming Aamir Khan-starrer, Dangal, had been on an intense hunt to zero in on the girls to play his on-screen daughters. In the film, the actor will be seen as wrestling coach Mahavir Phogat, who trained three Commonwealth Games gold medalists, including his daughters Geeta and Babita Kumari, to success. Now if sources are to be believed, the makers have finalised a young athlete from Haryana to essay Geeta’s part.
Earlier, there were reports that Akshara Haasan, Taapsee Pannu and Deeksha Seth were being considered for the role. Says a source, “Over 15,000 girls were auditioned in Haryana, includingTaapsee and television actress Kritika Kamra. But the production team selected a local athlete.”
The film’s director, Nitesh Tewari, dismisses the buzz.
Aamir Khan to play a father to four teenage girls in his next film Dangal?
2:02 PM
Sonali Joshi Pitale (MID-DAY; February 27, 2015)
That Aamir Khan is essaying the role of a 55-year-old wrestler in Nitesh Tiwari's 'Dangal' is known. But if sources are to be believed, the actor will play daddy to four teenage girls.
A source says, "No actress has been finalised as of now, but we are looking for girls who can look as young as 14 to 18 years. Though a lot of names have come up in the discussions, the casting is yet to be locked."
It is said that the movie is loosely based on women's wrestling coach Mahavir Singh Phogat, who trained three Commonwealth Games gold medalists — his daughters Geeta and Babita Kumari as well as niece Vinesh — to success.
A source says, "Aamir has four different looks throughout the film and one of them will be of a 55-year-old father. However, he is not involved in the casting process. Casting director Mukesh Chabbra will soon hold auditions in small towns to cast the girls. We are not looking for actors, but performers who can pull off a rustic look."
Once the auditions are done, Nitesh will take the final call, adds the source. The shoot is likely to begin in the latter half of 2015. "Aamir's salt-and-pepper look which he sported some time ago has not been finalised. We are still trying different looks on him," suggests the source.
Taapsee Pannu to play Aamir Khan’s daughter in Dangal?
7:57 AM
Srishti Dixit (DNA; February 18, 2015)
Speculation was rife that Kangana Ranaut will be
playing Aamir Khan’s daughter in Nitesh Tiwari’s upcoming film Dangal.
The film is a biopic on the life of acclaimed wrestler Mahavir Singh
Phogat and Kangs was to play the role of his daughter Geeta Phogat.
However, Kangana revealed that she was never offered the role. She went
on to say that though she would love working with the PK actor, she was
not approached for the role. Insiders suggest that Kangana was asked to
play Geeta but she refused.
Now, the grapevine says that Baby actress, Taapsee Pannu, is among the four girls shortlisted for the role of Geeta. Her performance in the Neeraj Pandey film Baby was appreciated and if she does Dangal, it will be a big turning point in Ms Pannu’s career. Geeta is the first Indian woman wrestler to have won at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
Kangana Ranaut to play Aamir Khan's daughter in Dangal?
8:46 AM
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 14, 2015)
By
now everyone knows that Aamir Khan will play wrestler Mahavir Singh
Phogat in his next film, Dangal, to be directed by Nitesh Tiwari. Now,
there's a strong buzz that Kangana Ranaut, who is currently basking in
the glory of Vikas Bahl's Queen which recently fetched her a Filmfare
Award, could play his daughter in the sports bio-pic. Geeta Phogat is
India's first female wrestler who won gold at the 2010 Commonwealth
Games in the 55 kg free-style category. Her sister, Babita Kumari won
silver. The 27-year-old actress was spotted partying with the actor recently. According to a source, Kangana has always admired Aamir and wanted to work with him. When she was approached, she instantly agreed to come on board to play Geeta, the 21-year-old struggling wrestler, whom her 55-year-old father coaches to a historic win. Forty-nine-year-old Aamir who is looking beefy, has been training for the last two months.
The rise of the Phogat sisters makes for a great story given that female infanticide is so common in Haryana that the male-female ratio is 100:86. Arranged marriages are the norm and most women live their lives within the four walls of their home. Against this backdrop, Mahavir Singh Phogat, a wrestler in Balali village of Bhiwani district, built an akhara in his own house where he trained his two daughters in the signature moves of kushti.
Geeta started wrestling at the age of 10 and by 12 was travelling to neighbouring villages to take part in dangals, competition, in which both Babita and she defeated their male opponents. Their grandmother wasn't impressed with their exploits in a man's game. But after the Commonwealth wins, they became role models in the conservative Jat community and their mother was elected as the village head. The Government College in Bhiwani dug a 'dangal pit' in the village where local female grapplers could hone their skills.
Geeta's most recent achievement includes a bronze medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Babita won gold in the Commonwealth Wrestling Championships in Jalandhar in 2009 in the 51 kg free-style category. Their cousins, Priyanka and Vinesh, followed in their footsteps with gold medals in the Asian Cadet Championships in Pune in the 51 kg and 49 kg freestyle categories respectively. But Mahavir Singh is still waiting to be honoured with the Dronacharya Award for excellence in sports coaching despite his pupils winning five golds for the country.
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