Dangal, a film directed by Nitesh Tiwari and co-produced by Aamir Khan, made an enormous impact at the global box office, earning approximately ₹2,000 crore. The movie, based on the real-life story of the Phogat family, was a major commercial success. However, according to Babita Phogat, one of the key inspirations for the film, the financial benefits for her family were far from proportionate to the movie’s success.
Financial Outcome for the Phogat Family
While the film’s narrative thrust the Phogat family into the limelight, Babita revealed in a recent interview with News 24 that their monetary compensation was minimal. During the conversation, Babita Phogat, a wrestler-turned-politician, shared how much her family was paid for selling the rights to their story.
Babita disclosed that the family earned less than 1% of the film’s overall box office revenue. To put things into perspective, Dangal grossed about ₹2,000 crore worldwide. Babita corrected the interviewer when asked if they received ₹20 crore, saying the family was paid just ₹1 crore, which is half of 10% of the assumed amount. Importantly, this deal was finalized during the script development phase, long before Aamir Khan joined the project as a co-producer.
Babita’s Take on Fame and the Film
Reflecting on the film’s success, Babita mentioned that her father, Mahavir Singh Phogat, was clear about the family’s priorities. According to Babita, Mahavir had only one request for the filmmakers: “We want people’s respect and love. Leave everything else.” Despite the film’s success, Babita emphasized that the people, rather than the movie, truly made her a well-known figure.
Interestingly, Babita also mentioned that when Aamir Khan became involved with the project, his team proposed altering the characters’ names to fictional ones. However, her father refused to allow this change, insisting that their real names remain intact in the movie.
Plans for a Wrestling Academy That Never Materialized
In the same interview, Babita shared details about her father’s vision for the future after the release of Dangal. Mahavir Singh Phogat proposed establishing a wrestling academy in Haryana in collaboration with Aamir Khan’s team. While discussions were held about the possibility, the project never came to fruition. Babita noted that Aamir’s team neither confirmed nor denied the idea; ultimately, the wrestling academy was never built.
About the Film Dangal
Co-produced by UTV Motion Pictures, led by Siddharth Roy Kapur, and Aamir Khan Productions, Dangal tells the story of Mahavir Singh Phogat and his daughters, Geeta and Babita, who rise to prominence as wrestlers. Aamir Khan played the role of Mahavir, while Fatima Sana Shaikh and Zaira Wasim portrayed Geeta, and Sanya Malhotra and Suhani Bhatnagar played Babita. Sakshi Tanwar took on the role of the Phogat sisters’ mother. Dangal is still considered one of the biggest global hits in the history of Hindi cinema.
Conclusion
Despite Dangal’s immense success at the box office, Babita Phogat’s revelations highlight that her family’s financial compensation was modest compared to the film’s earnings. However, their legacy remains intact, as the Phogat family continues to be admired for their contribution to wrestling in India.
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