The theatrical trailer of Aamir Khan's Dangal was met with an overwhelming response from all sections of the audience. Since the film is set against the backdrop of wrestling, comparisons with Salman Khan's Sultan, which released earlier this year, are inevitable.
Time and again, both Aamir and Salman stated that the two films are poles apart and the theatrical trailer of Dangal is proof enough. While the basic premise of Sultan chronicled the rise, fall, and rise of Sultan Ali Khan's wrestling career, Dangal, on the other hand, focuses on the emotional journey of Mahavir Phogat and his daughters who eventually go on to win gold for India at the Commonwealth Games.
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Sultan was more about one man's struggle to rise above all odds, including winning the fight against oneself; Dangal is a battle against the stereotypical mind-set in our predominantly patriarchal society which believes 'women can't wrestle'.
Also Read: Watch YRF's Sultan trailer: Can Salman Khan's swag get any better?
Let's justify this with a dialogue from Sultan and Dangal:
Sultan:
"Asli wrestler woh nahi hota jo medal uthaye, asli wrestler woh hota hai jo zindagi se lade aur usse haraye"
Dangal:
"Gold toh gold hota hai, Chora Lawe ya chori"
The trailer of Dangal suggests it to be far away from all the commercial trappings and seems to celebrate womanhood like never before. The only similarity between the two is the fact that both of them are set against the backdrop of wrestling in Haryana. But well, haven't we seen so many love stories having the same old happy ending?