Upala KBR (DNA; November 10, 2016)

Here’s something that Aamir Khan ensured in advance — even before leaving for Arunachal Pradesh to celebrate his wife Kiran’s birthday. The first song of Dangal will be launched on Children’s Day (November 14) on air across channels. It will be shown in an event on November 12, where Aamir will introduce two young actors to the media.

Like an anthem

Says a source, “While his directorial film Taare Zameen Par had the soulful and intense Maa song, this one is a more tongue-in-cheek fun take on the father. The first song from Dangal goes like this: Bapu, Tu Sehat Ke Liye Hanikarak Hai. Written by Amitabh Bhattacharya and composed by Pritam, the training song is penned like an anthem, where the children (Geeta and Babita) are telling their father (Mahavir Phogat played by Aamir) that he is too strict.”

Launch with the li’l ones

Shot in Ludhiana, “the song is a representation of all the emotions undergone by the little kids on being coaxed to achieve higher goals. Aamir will launch it with the younger Geeta Phogat (Zaira Wasim) and Babita Kumari (Suhani Bhatnagar) along with Dangal director Nitesh Tiwari,” adds the source.

The journey

The film’s spokesperson adds, “Hanikarak brings to the forefront the rigorous journey that led to the making of a female Olympic medal winner Geeta Phogat and encapsulates the feelings of Geeta and Babita towards their father during their training phase.”

Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 17, 2015)

Mirror (April 22) was the first to reveal that Mumbai girl Fatima Shaikh and Sanya Malhotra, a trained ballet dancer from Delhi, have bagged the coveted roles of Aamir Khan's wrestler daughters in Dangal after months of auditions.

Now, Mirror has learnt that two little girls, Zaira Wasim from Kashmir and Suhani Bhatnagar from Delhi have also been cast. They will play the younger Fatima and Sanya in the sports biopic.

The Nitesh Tiwari-directed film is inspired by the story of former wrestler Mahavir Singh, from Haryana's Balali village, who coached his daughters to historic wins. Geeta Phogat was India's first female wrestler to win gold at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in the 55-kg freestyle category. Her sister, Babita Kumari, bagged the silver.

All the four girls have been housed in Aamir's former apartment in Bandra where they are living together and religiously following a strict daily regime.

According to a source close to the development, the four wake up early and go for wrestling training. They are joined by their producer Aamir who plays their dad in the film.

"After a few hours of gruelling kushti sessions, they return to the apartment where they have to take compulsory rest before sitting down to lunch," adds the source.

All meals are prepared by a hired cook who keeps dietary specifications in mind and ensures that the food seved is nutritious. Aamir has lunch and dinner with them.

Early evenings are for Haryanvi lessons and dialect training. This is followed by strength building sessions in the gym.

All through the day, Aamir keeps them company as he shuttles between his home and theirs, between the rigid routine and other commitments.

"They enjoy being mentored by him," says the source. "And Aamir who has always prepped for his films alone, whether he's playing a collegian, an alien or a circus acrobat, likes doing it with these four young actresses this time. They will soon be his family on screen."