300 crores for Dangal; a measly 80 lakhs for Mahavir Singh Phogat
Aamir Khan’s sports drama Dangal has turned into an all time blockbuster shattering several records at the box office. The movie did a business worth over Rs 300 crore within 17 days of its release. While the makers were earning huge profits, Mahavir Singh Phogat, on whose life the film is based on, has got a measly amount but he is satisfied with what he is got.
It is learnt that Mahavir Singh Phogat was paid around Rs 80 lakhs for narrating his family journey to achieve glory in the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Though Phogat happy with the amount, his relatives feel that the amount was very measly when compared to the business the movie has done worldwide.
The Phogat family have invested the money to buy some high yielding buffaloes since milk products form a part of the daily diet of most of the wrestlers in India. His dream of setting up an academy in his village Balali in Haryana is also coming true. They are in talks with the government regarding the institute and are waiting for a green signal.
Dangal was inspired from the life of a national level wrestler Mahavir Singh Phogat who trained his daughters to world class players in the sport. Mahavir Singh Phogat has four daughters- Geeta Kumari, Babita, Sangeeta and Ritu. Aamir Khan essayed Mahavir Singh Phogat’s character while Fatima Sana Sheikh, Sanya Malhotra, Zaira Wasim and Suhani Bhatnagar portrayed the Geeta and Babita’s parts in the movie.
Geeta was the first Indian woman wrestler to win gold at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi. Last year, the girls’ success won their father the prestigious Dronacharya Award, given for the best coach.
