Uncle Mahavir More Haanikaarak Than Aamir In Dangal: Vinesh Phogat

Vinesh Phogat says that uncle Mahavir Singh Phogat was “10 times stricter” than Aamir Khan portrays in ‘Dangal’.

Aamir Khan with Mahavir Singh Phogat. (Photo: Yogen Shah)

Olympian Vinesh Phogat says, albeit in a lighter vein, that uncle Mahavir Singh Phogat was “10 times stricter” than the bapu haanikaarak Aamir Khan portrays in Dangal, a movie based on the life of the well-known coach and his proteges.

(Photo: Yogen Shah/altered by The Quint)

Haanikaarak Bapu is one of the hit numbers of the sports film that highlights the struggles faced by Vinesh’s cousins, Geeta Phogat and Babita Kumari (daughters of Mahavir), while training to become acclaimed wrestlers.

A Commonwealth Games medallist, Vinesh is a bit amused to find the kind of frenzy that the Khan starrer Dangal has created with more people now wanting to know about Mahavir Phogat and his wrestler daughters and niece.

(Photo: Yogen Shah/altered by The Quint)

(Photo: The Quint)

And when asked if she has seen Dangal, Vinesh told PTI,

“Actually, I am so busy with my rehab at the JSW set up in Bengaluru that I have not been able to watch the film till now. Aamir sir had requested me to come to Mumbai for the premiere but I had to give it a miss as it would have hampered my rehab routine.”

File photo of Vinesh Phogat. (Photo: JSW)

Vinesh is eyeing the Asian Championship in New Delhi as her comeback tournament as she nears the end of her rehab schedule.

(With inputs from PTI)