Dangal: How an Indian Film Captivated China | Video Essay

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Accented Cinema - Episode 114
In this video, let's take a look at Dangal, an absolute blast of an Indian film that somehow became a phenomenon in China.
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[@ptptpt123]

As an Indian, I always wanted to know why this movie was such a hit in China. Thank you.

[@hyeung1]

Because we're culturally more similar than you think. It's not as bad in recent years but older generation always wanted a boy and that's why we had so many orphaned girls when China had the one child policy.

[@contrarian322]

Ahh yes.. 😂😂the main reason I clicked on this video. It would have always been unanswered if not for this. Man is a godsend.

[@Rahul_Sastry]

​@@contrarian322truly. Although I do hope he understands that not all women in india live like this many study and become doctors teachers Pilots engineers etc. Without much discrimination. Ofc this old traditional kind of discrimination does still exist yet unfortunately.

[@akshay2012rdts]

Whitewashing of money !

[@navinthehouse4710]

Aamir khans past success in China with 3 Idiots and Taare Zameen Par definitely helped

[@MynameisBrianZX]

Something that the video doesn’t mention: the wrestling choreography is incredible. While scripted and polished, it’s not flamboyant like pro-wrestling or some movies, it is built on real wrestling techniques. In a world that values striking more than grappling in both sports and fiction, this is a refreshing martial arts film.

[@tomjoseph7243]

This video doesn't focus on reviewing "Dangal"; instead, it delves into why Chinese audiences embraced this Indian film.

[@chandankumar10360]

This video is more about philosophy of the movie than movie direction

[@Aksarallah]

the opponents are mostly stupid and purposely made weak. Average male wrestler will easily beat top female wrestlers simply because of difference in biology

[@MrReklez]

This video was not a film review, it is exactly what the title says

[@AlexAzureOtaku]

I've had the kind of privileged life where I could watch this movie and criticise the father for dictating his children's lives but that doesn't take away from the fact that its an incredible story of a father standing up to society to break gender norms and allow his daughters a chance at a better life. Mahavir Phogat is an inspiration to all of us Indians to stand up to outdated societal norms in the name of tradition.

[@recoil53]

That was also after he thought "I have daughters, I'm giving up".

[@2Na_2much]

If he wasn't the one taking control the society would have dictated those girl's life.

[@entropy-ur6bg]

well said

[@divineflu34567]

​​@@recoil53he didn't came from a upbringing who saw such things he began to see it himself

[@jazzy4164]

It also shows how society conditions young women into believing that they are not meant to be something great and push and work hard for it , it was made clear by the conversation between the sister and the friend who was getting married , who made them aware of the fact how lucky they actually were to have a caring father who actually wants them to do something great in life and believe in them , which was not case for most of the young girls in the village especially her.

[@justanotherupscaspirant8837]

So many non-Asians in the comments misinterpreting the statement that he "raised his daughters like sons." It doesn't mean the patriarchy doesn't harm boys, or simply that he's forcing his daughters to go into his chosen profession. It means he's raising them to believe they have a future, which so many women here don't. Kinda like the greater good argument. The movie itself addresses this fact that he forced them into wrestling. But keep in mind the lack of choices, for both the girls and Mahavir himself. Did they want to be wrestlers? No. Did they want to be married off at 16 like their mother and forced to do housework and have boys? I think they'd like that option even less. But as a father, Mahavir would have to make that decision, whether to marry off his daughters or fight with society. Wrestling is an honourable career choice for men in that region, and he was the best, so he decided to do whatever necessary to give his daughters a life of their own. Ultimately, it saves them from a forced future and gives them some semblance of independence, fame and money. Of course it's cruel and abusive in any Western society because it would be taking away choices from children. But here, when women anyways don't have a lot of choices? He's actually giving them a choice and a chance. It's heroic. That is why it resonated so well across places which have faced similar cultural issues.

[@rutvikrs]

Han toh joar se UPSC ki tayari chal Rahi hai..eh? 🥲

[@justanotherupscaspirant8837]

@@rutvikrs Ha bhyi. This comment is my 15marker

[@sriharshacv7760]

Women having a 'future' that doesn't include them giving birth to a healthy number of children (2-3) is a net loss to the society.

[@justanotherupscaspirant8837]

@@sriharshacv7760 yes, just like you growing into adulthood was a net loss to society

[@Ariel-eb1ti]

Thanks so much for explaining this. I hope people understand those who do not get many choices in life. 🙏

[@anirbannandi8263]

In India it's illegal to disclose the gender of a child in womb, to prevent female foeticide. Haryana also has the lowest sex ratio in India (879:1000- F:M). What Mahavir Phogat did was nothing short of incredible. And now Vinesh Phogat, niece of Mahavir Phogat, is fighting a battle against sexual harrasment. And she is not the only one. There are many more. Shame on us. They must be heard.

[@lininrabbit]

wow, I never know! It's the same thing in China.

[@rehman1833]

Just read a newsreport that in some villages in India there were not female babies born in three months, and those villages are now under investigation for female feticide

[@Harshiahaha]

​​@@lininrabbitwhen I watch some videos about China and Chinese films, I often feel like India and China are essentially the same, from the society and dating, marriage culture, the history to everything, in a two completely different cultural worlds.

[@Baronnax]

@@Harshiahaha We're essentially both civilizational states, and although geographical barriers have separated them cultural and religious influences are impossible to stop.

[@aarav1648]

Update your data. There are more females compared to males in india now. Seems like you are from bengal. Most impoverished and underperforming state only second to bihar. Don't assume bengal represents whole india. Where i live(MH), Sexual harassments ARE REPORTED and cases are filed. Police in my city are doing good. Same goes for northeastern, western and southern states. I am tired of fellow indians saying "we should be ashamed" and "we should lower our head" when we should do exactly opposite and make the culprit pay. You dont feel any shame not even a bit. Your comment is cringe and uninformed.

[@sebastianrosa7935]

In my personal opinion, we shouldn’t raise daughters like sons, or sons like daughters, we should raise children as children, there shouldn’t be such a strong divide. Edit: I deeply regret this comment, I hope most of people who replied never have children.

[@Nutty...]

Extraordinary circumstances require extraordinary solutions. In India daughters have to be raised to be tough or else the patriarchy will swallow them whole. Indian society is cruel towards women. Hence they have to be tenacious.

[@sebastianrosa7935]

@@Nutty... But that's what I mean, we shouldn’t just raise girls to be tougher and boys to more in tune with their emotions, we should raise all of them the same way; to be both tough and emotionally healthy. That way girls can stand their ground against men and boys won't fall into the toxic masculinity of the culture and therfore be more respectful to their girl peers.

[@JohnM-ch4to]

@@Nutty... You just identified the problem, the patriarchy makes it hard for any gender outside the male dynamic. If raising kids would be more empathetic and emotionally available regardless if it was a girl or boy then maybe the patriarchy would have been less cruel and women do not have to fight the system. But yes that's not reality.

[@kodokudeusotsuki]

@@JohnM-ch4to In the movie the girl is raised "like a boy", meaning she receives a harsh training and learns to be tough. And you're saying patriarchy makes boys life easy? Boys and girls receive different treatments but don't dare saying life is easy for boys.

[@jordanetherington1922]

​@@kodokudeusotsukiI think their point was that patriarchy is cruel to both genders

[@powchin3474]

I am a 60 year old Chinese Malaysian woman and I was raised like a son. I never had any limitations in my mind about what I can or cannot do. I couldn't understand why my friends were not like me until I realised that they had limitating beliefs instilled in them by their parents.

[@aishahnadhirah5949]

Tak sangka terjumpa orang Malaysia dekat komen 😁 Saya kagum dengan pemikiran puan dan saya harap, saya pun dapat teruskan kehidupan saya dengan ciri hebat yang puan ada😊 Semoga puan dipanjangkan umur dan dimurahkan rezeki! Selamat Hari Merdekaaaaa🎉🇲🇾

[@bhavs398]

Im a 21 year old Indian woman who was raised like a son, and while its true that i grew up being very strong-willed and someone who doesnt take shit from anyone, it doesnt change the fact that i was, afterall, a litte girl-- theres so much crying and screaming i remember from my childhood, just because i asked my mother if i can wear a dress to school, or if i can have a barbie for my birthday, or if i can join piano instead of basketball. We need to teach our daughters than they can be feminine little girls, and still grow up to be level-headed and strong. i was told the only way to be a "strong girl" is to be a boy.

[@recoil53]

@@bhavs398 I'm Chinese-American, Gen-X with my family from Hong Kong. On my father's side, a bunch of my cousins are women. They are quite the achievers. I'm positive they run their marriages/family without being "dragon ladies". They are closer to their own families than their husband's. And I have little doubt they don't let men run over them at work. Of course my paternal grandfather's side is a contentious bunch with a lot of sub-geniuses and low end geniuses.

[@Trgn]

Very cool considering that 60 years ago society was still very conservative.

[@powchin3474]

Not that conservative considering that it was the Swinging 60s ;) . Being raised like a boy doesn't mean doing sports instead of piano and not wearing dresses. It means we believe in our worth as ourselves. Not as a "something" to a man, like a daughter or sister or girlfriend or wife or mother. It's enough that we are humans. I did piano and wore dresses because I chose to. I could've chosen boxing as my father bought me boxing gloves when he bought a pair for my brother and he didn't want me to be jealous. But it wasn't my thing and I chose piano instead. I live in Australia now and it appears sometimes that Australian women believe that to be equal they have to be good at sports or be physically equal to a man. That can never be as women are built different physically. Formulating female equality in masculine terms is to take power away from women.

[@visualartsbyjr2464]

You're last comments struck a memory. To pay the bills I work at a university providing first aid to students and staff. Through my work I have been introduced to people from all over the world. The three that come to mind are from Iran. It broke my heart to see them in the library crying. Not due to the workload of their courses but they didn't want to go back home. They all told me that when they got home their chief role will be becoming a wife and mother. "Nothing else matters to my family." (all three told me). They all were academically gifted. Mathematics, engineering, and biology respectively. I truly hope they got to live their dreams.

[@Kay-kg6ny]

Heartbreaking. I hope they found a way out. I hope we all build a way out.

[@lemsavage9473]

Reminded me of a quote in Little Women "Women, they have minds, and they have souls, as well as just hearts. And they've got ambition, and they've got talent, as well as just beauty. I'm so sick of people saying that love is just all a woman is fit for." -Jo March

[@arminius6506]

Bro you're just making stuff up..... If your family is "liberal" enough to let you go abroad and live alone they won't even mind those girl having the job

[@meandkitty8387]

Obligatory reminder that many iranian parents and fathers push their daughters to study (I know from experience), and that in Iran women achieve more academically than men. If you want to support iranian women, seeing them as people, and not as victims, is really important. Thanks.

[@recoil53]

@@meandkitty8387 Before the overthrow of the Shah, Iran had a female jurists and academics. The Middle East is a different place now.

[@r.h.6249]

The fact that this movie represented a new wave of feminism in both India and China at the time but now Vinesh Phogat, Geeta's cousin sister and plenty of female and male wrestlers are fighting for months against sexual harrasment and assault by the head of Wrestling Federation of India who is powerful politician and seemingly losing the battle is so disheartening

[@human6729]

Well those fights are different and this fight. Politics is involved so...

[@Germania9]

It's great to see China and India, & South and East Asia in general, appreciating and acknowledging each other. There hasn't been anything like this in the 90s beyond the Ramayana anime, which is understandably a rare collaboration between India and Japan.

[@starsign0805]

Exactly. I always thought it was really weird how there seems to be such a divide between the two neighbouring regions on the basis of how we predominantly look, when our cultures, religion, and societies are so similar.

[@QUBIQUBED]

Theres a ramayana anime???

[@rrajputofficial5024]

​@@QUBIQUBEDyes the movie

[@dermicool2011]

Ever heard of Buddhism

[@TheMiddleFiddle]

there's a WHAT?

[@NeonAtary777]

This is definitely one of the best Indian films. There are some hidden gems in Indian cinema. It's unfair how underrated they are!

[@smitmahajani7663]

This isn't an underrated film though. It's the highest grossing Indian movie of all time going by worldwide collections. No Indian movie (across all Indian industries) has earned so much

[@aishahnadhirah5949]

@@smitmahajani7663I think he’s saying that Indian films are underrated, not Dangal specifically.

[@smitmahajani7663]

@@aishahnadhirah5949 Yeah, that's possible too

[@Texa8]

@@aishahnadhirah5949I mean globally, yes they are due to the stereotype of Bollywood dancing in the movies (which isn’t entirely unfair) But because there’s such a huge audience back home in India, they don’t really try to advertise to the world

[@thumpertorque_]

What are some other under rated films? I'd like to see them.

[@Amuzic]

Just wanna add, this true event is from a state Haryana, which is infamous for gender discrimination against Girl child, so it's even more exceptional than the average Indian scenarios.

[@raakishh]

​@thezoldics7648How's it for the worst? Explain.

[@rishisaini5269]

​@thezoldics7648Explain

[@biggerdickus]

​@thezoldics7648 For the best, the population will equalize, society will heal.

[@nutrinogirl456]

Lmao short term, are you delusional

[@cholst1]

Watched this a couple years back, really enjoyed it. Also, somewhat off-topic, the work Amir Khan and the Paani Foundation has done in rural india is quite staggering. Probably the largest most successful ecosystem restoration project in the world.

[@IAmSuyogJadhav]

The Paani foundation also did a "Water Cup" in my often-drought-stricken state of Maharashtra a few years back! Villages competed to construct the best water conservation facilities they could through the collective efforts from the people of that village. The best effort won a grand cash prize. Winner or not, all the participating villages ended up far better off, as the water conservation facilities they built for the competition were permanent structures! Really innovative idea. Amir khan has to be one of the few Indian actors constantly redefining what is like to be a modern era legendary actor.

[@cholst1]

@@IAmSuyogJadhavYeah I've been following the Paani youtube channel for years. It's absolutely incredibly cool! The farmer cup now focusing on collective farming and working together as well is really cool!

[@nunyabiznes7446]

I like how you don't spoil the ending - leaving us a stronger motivation to go experience the movie firsthand. Another excellent essay from accented cinema, thank you

[@xicuode9898]

Agreed!

[@Heedy770]

Sad that the same wrestlers who this movie celebrated have now been battered, brutalised, silenced by the police and the government for speaking out against sexual harassment and abuse in the sport.

[@Rat.s]

😂 are bsdk

[@Johnnyjoestar1772]

geeta phogaat to BJP me he na.

[@dashtoroya2838]

​@@Johnnyjoestar1772 ha par bhagawat Singh bhi BJP ka hai. Aur uska side le Raha hai.

[@riderchallenge4250]

lol file the case if you think you are right. your wrestlers refused the Sc orders and didnt even filed a case. lol and geeta babita was not even in the protests.

[@rutvikrs]

Gotta love how people have started paying interest to things that always existed like SA in Indian sports and tribal conflict in the NE. It's almost like a set of problems were solved for us to relook at other things 😂😂

[@lordmorklen5166]

"The one thing common between these two ancient nations - is rampant sexism." Well put. That, and the Brits. Both the nations got absolutely robbed blind by the Brits.

[@thumpertorque_]

Not that the west was a saint when it comes to misogyny either.

[@darkorange835]

@@thumpertorque_ i will never understand this commment

[@thumpertorque_]

@@darkorange835 Which comment? Mine or his?

[@ArmageddonIsHere]

Those aren't the only things common to Indian and Chinese cultures. Multigenerational families plus respect for the elderly are two others that first spring to mind And Western countries appear to have forgotten the still very recent overt, institutionalized misogyny in their own history such as barring women from voting (whereas India had universal suffrage from its very first election). Not to mention the discrimination against women that goes on even today in the workplace in Western bastions of female freedom such as Europe and North America.

[@sharoberry9874]

@@darkorange835 Pre-colonial India had female philosophers, leaders, writers, etc and our religion teaches us to worship the divine feminine. I assume they mean that the patriarchy, as it exists in India now, largely stems from British and Portuguese colonial influence. They believed that civilisations that treated men and women equally were more "savage" and needed to be changed

[@milk6982]

You mentioned cram school culture in Japan and China. There's a similar situation, although maybe on a smaller scale, in India with the JEE and NEET exams. There's an entire city built around coaching classes that only teach children for 2 to sometimes even 6 years preparing for these exams

[@rutvikrs]

One city and multiple towns*

[@rajeevjuneja5584]

Even outside that city (Kota) it's not like it's much better. Even here in Delhi near Janakpuri which is becoming sort of a hub with all these major coachings opening there .... I see hoardes of kids passing by everyday.

[@teja6373]

Come to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana we have a coching Nexus across the states with a duopoly

[@pandeyom6877]

​@@teja6373duopoly of Sri Chaitanya and Narayana?

[@teja6373]

@@pandeyom6877 yup

[@samsaraatkis6098]

There's a well-known paper by anthropologist Vanessa Fong that argues that the one-child policy in China empowered daughters in URBAN AREAS precisely for the reasons you mentioned. One of the major points she makes is that Chinese parents had no choice but to treat their sole child- daughters, as sons because the daughters had to take on traditionally male roles in the future, like making money, taking care of the parents, etc.

[@human6729]

And see where china is so soon near to usa. This shows women power. In india it is said whatever you give to women she would multiply it be it negative or positive things done to her.

[@rebel.taylord]

I was raised like a boy, and wasn't allowed to grow my hair long beyond my shoulders until I was 17. Every trip to the hair salon I will beg my mom not to go and cry when I was getting the haircut. My mom and the hairstyle will laugh and said I was stupid, it's just hair. They did this all because they wanted a son. My parents believe that raising a girl like a boy, the next baby they will be blesssd with a son. Some southern chinese believe it seems. My grandparents were from Fujian region. Anyway it didn't work, my younger siblings are girls too. But jokes on them because it turns out I am bisexual. They flip out when I dated a girl. Lol I don't feel bad at all.

[@chinmayghule8272]

Your story is both sad and hilarious. Keep being strong 👍

[@paysmenot2624]

"Hey you should act a like a boy" Starts acting like a boy... "Why would you do that"

[@Aksarallah]

😂so you became bisexual cause of being treated like a boy

[@AJ.263]

Uno reverse on ur parents

[@Suhanagupta519]

Idk who you are but I’m proud of you 🫶🏻 You deserve to be an individual, not always a daughter, sister, wife etc.🩷

[@GiantGeekGuy]

Every film Aamir Khan is in is always gonna be amazing, tackling a societal issue or a human experience. 3 Idiots tackled competing for a place in society versus following your passion. PK tackles religion and how it can inspire or manipulate others. Taare Zameen Par taught people to be more empathetic towards people with disabilities, and how one can overcome their disability. Even his role in Dhoom 3 portrays revenge and revolution. Dangal is just another fantastic movie on Khan's repertoire, and the video explains it really well.

[@KF-zb6gi]

3 idiots was the best movie I watched, especially as engineering student

[@ankushverma8625]

Thugs of Hindustan 😂 this movie should be forgotten.

[@thehawkseye3412]

I suppose you haven't watched, Mela and Thugs of Hindustan. He lacks originality but has learned to pick topics to polish his image and better marketing. A lot of his movies have been copies of hollywood or other people's work. As for PK, it's super shallow. It only works because attacking Hinduism is acceptable and doesn't lead to beheadings.

[@berserk322]

​@@thehawkseye3412Ah your comment clearly shows your personality.

[@thehawkseye3412]

@@berserk322 Thank you and it should. It's view of a older mature woman who saw his first movie when she was in school and went through whole arc of being "wow Amir" to getting " I fell asleep in cinema hall watching akele ham akele tum". Doordarshan sometimes showed old Hollywood movies and then video cassettes and cable tv enabled me to watch more of the world cinema. I watched originals and the ones Amir made. I saw him talking in interviews as if Mann was his original idea. Only to find he copied yet another Hollywood movie and the changes he made only lowered the quality of the movie. Anyone with little research may find that the original writer of "tare Zameen par" was not happy what Amir did to him. I saw his crap and then his sudden marketing of lagan and his rise with his PR promoting him as Mr perfect. Well Mr perfect showed his perfection in thugs of hindustan. That's what you get when he is the one really making movies. PK is shallow and does attack Hinduism in particular while avoiding attack on any other religious belief. I dare you to name an Amir Khan movies which make similar attack on any Abrahmic religions in India. You will find his videos with maulavies instead.

[@MedlifeCrisis]

Long time fan of your channel. I enjoyed your recent foray into Indian cinema, lovely to see a full video on Dangal too. I had no idea it was so big in China! Great to get the background.

[@mastershooter64]

had no idea you watched accented cinma as well! very nice!

[@artspooner]

Fancy seeing you here!

[@Ummmmmmmm841]

My paternal grandmother had three sons, which she took pride in because having sons was a great thing women achieves and is considered it brings honour and continuation to the family, so when my uncles had daughters she was disappointed, so she desperately wanted my mum and dad to have a son, I guess she had the same face when she heard I was born, and maybe even said the same thing "how come it's a girl again". My maternal grandmother had 3 daughter and 1 son, and when my uncle had apples as kid, my mum and aunts can only eat the peel. Tho my mum never said much, I think it still hurts her deep down, cus I remember once she got really upset at my grandma for treating my uncle's daughter better than me. Funny thing is my mum told me when she was pregnant the ultrasound shows it's a boy, but it's technically illegal to disclose the gender, so either it's tru and they disclose it but made a mistake, or it's a lie to not abort me under pressure, it's an interesting little detail to the story.

[@nil_90]

That's a fascinating story. I also as a male child, that too as the eldest in the extended family (both sides) have felt the prejudice. That I've given more love than a female child would have been. I've also felt that many of the women of my mother's generation are physically weaker/ more likely to catch a disease just because they were underfed when they were growing up. Ironically now I feel that, it is the girl children who takes more care of their parents where the male children is just privileged enough not to care that much.

[@angrymaniac53]

Well most of the time, girls are unwanted by thier parents until they are born but once girls gets born, they becomes thier world. I grow up in the world where people can just do anything to boys because they are "physically strong" while the girls should be cared and loved because they are "physically weak". We grow up hating females for the special treatment they got.

[@srijanshrivastava772]

This used to be a trend in the 20th century in India as well. The crave for a male child was predominant. Even my paternal grandmother wanted a son so they had 6 daughters and only stopped when my father was born as her 7th child. Fortunately most of the people don't go beyond two children now a days whether it would be a boy or a girl.

[@recoil53]

I'm Chinese American and I've said that I was either going to be an only child or have older sisters. I'm Gen-X, a friend of mine repeated that to some Chinese exchange students, they laughed in understanding.

[@user-sc3oh1bw4z]

does your grandmother forget that she is female?

[@hrithikdluffy1310]

Geeta is pronounced as Gi-ta, Gi from 'Given'.

[@ratsock]

Pronounced more like the ‘gee’ from ‘geese’

[@marcus_priavinga1251]

or gee from "ghee"

[@ratsock]

@@marcus_priavinga1251 ghee is actually a completely different G sound that doesn’t really exist in English. It’s more of a lower register, longer, breathy, said from very far back in the throat. Its kind of similar to ‘duh!’ but with more of a G sound mixed in.

[@trueblueedits4673]

As a Chinese-Canadian girl who was a wrestler in highschool (1st at regionals and 4th at provincials), this movie touched me. It truly does a masterful job showcasing what it is like to be a woman in a place where men and boys are pretty much the only demographic being represented and heard. I'm also very fortunate to say that my parents never put any pressure on me or loved me any less because I was the only child they had and a girl, but even then, as a Chinese individual, I really understood the way girls are seen as "lesser" than boys in our culture and the way the movie portrayed it was very real.

[@distortilla]

I'd love to see an essay about Hichki too... because it was also one of the highest grosser in China

[@krrxsh]

Damn I didn't knew that

[@winj3r]

As a European, I have to say how much I love the stories and analysis in this channel. It's like seeing a whole new world, different, but also similar. Not just a simple look into movies, but how they reflect several societies in Asia and how it affected them. You manage to bring a whole new perspective that I was not aware of. Thank you.

[@huskaroar6869]

One very important issue that this movie pointed out was the crucial need of protein for athletes esp wrestling which requires strength and conditioning like no other ( I've trained and competed in multiple sports, traditional martial arts and MMA ) and wrestling was by far the most challenging sport ever. It's a big deal because they live in a society that has a strong vegetarian diet and he realises that his daughters were struggling to keep up with the hard training of wrestling because of the lack of meat and protein in their diet. He made a bargain with the local meat shop, learns how to cook chicken, and has to cook outside the house because of cultural and religious reasons despite his wife's anger and disapproval of their daughters eating meat. It shows how much he was determined to do what was required for his daughters to become world champions even if his wife and society looked down upon him for feeding his daughters a non vegetation meal. Tough love was so brilliantly portrayed in this movie. " Jaha Guru hoga, woha baap nahi ho sakte" which means that he can't be a doting loving father when he has taken up the role of their coach and guru and imposes strict discipline upon them. This is the greatest sports movie and a helluva genuine and strong criticism of indian society's discrimination of women without resorting to the lunatic feminazi banter. A must see for everyone 🎉

[@joseyong]

Thanks very much for sharing this one. I have Chinese immigrants parents, many dilemmas I had and still working with my therapist. But I am forever grateful, because they did with what little they had raising us as best as they can and gave us the opportunity to raise our children in a healthier way. It’s good for us as men to recognize women’s struggles and challenges

[@prashil3k594]

1. For people who don’t know, the Phogat Sisters and Mahavir are actual athletes. 2. You are right about, Mahavir being flawed. However it was during the time where women didn’t have any rights to begin with. And his methods of raising them was the most anyone could expect from any parent in that time period. 3. The movie has the female perspective as well (2nd half of the film). Also I would argue that the film, majorily being told through a male’s perspective isn’t a bad thing at all. The story that benefits from Mahavir’s perspective in the first half. And then we look into Geeta’s head in the second half providing us both aa goood perspective shift.

[@caldeandrade69]

Dangal is the best movie about Olympic wrestling. The techniques are legit. Heck, they actually made Wrestling more interesting than US ever did.

[@shivamchakraborty9573]

Another movie that was surely a hit in India, but was a much bigger hit in china is Andhadhun(Blind-Tune). It was a dark comedy crime movie about a blind pianist that earned triple in China. Also worth mentioning is 3 Idiots, a movie exploring the education system, it was a colossal hit in India and also in China (although mostly pirated as Indian movies weren't widespread in china back then ) as even the Chinese audience could relate to it. Edit: My favourite one is of Secret Superstar, which released sometime after Dangal and had the same star. It was a very low budget movie and it did fairly good in India and earned more than 4 times its budget, but in china it earned more than 9 times more than what it earned here, making it one of the best grossing Indian movie, infact it had earned half of India's total box office in just preticket sales alone and it grossed double of India's total box office in one week alone. It was the MOST popular movie in Chinese theatres and even beat big Chinese and Hollywood movies running in theatres there.

[@Kkk-mi1ob]

I recommend Islam

[@soumikkarmakar601]

@@Kkk-mi1obwhat movie is that?

[@LARPing-Wolf]

@@Kkk-mi1ob Stfu bot. You are embarrassing us!

[@valley-girl]

​@@soumikkarmakar601 its about 1400 years old and it didn't stand the test of time. Will not recommend!

[@MoyaBrennan6825]

3 idiots was also a big movie in South Korea

[@PramitChatterjee1993]

i always wanted to know what caused the boom around dangal in china but never ended researching about it. thanks for making this essay.

[@raja-jl9os]

Indian Fantasy and action movie don't work in china because they have hongkong movies

[@anishaannamala680]

I had seen multiple news articles in Indian newspapers and websites claiming the massive success of "Dangal" in China. But none of them explained 'why'. This is very insightful, thank you for enlightening the audience.

[@iamnoone21]

I've mostly heard of Chinese parents raising baby sons as girls, if they are afraid they won't survive to adulthood. The implication seems to be that since girls are "less valuable🙄," they're less likely to be killed by misfortune, jealous evil spirits, bad karma, etc, so the baby boys are disguised for their protection. My grandfather had his ears pierced as a baby and was given a "cute/girly" childhood nickname for this reason, since his parents had lost 9 children to disease by the time he was born.

[@bhavs398]

OMG... another connect between India and China! This practice exists in india also, but its mostly because making kids wear a one-piece outfit like a dress is easier, and most women think putting "teekas" on their sons makes them protected from evil eye too, as well as look more clean and cared-for. Piercing of ears in men is a caste/community thing in india

[@7_77_.]

​@@bhavs398 since when ear piercing of men is caste thing? No one gives girly name to their sons for protection till adulthood, the things mentioned in the original comments cannot be related to india.

[@adityajha689]

the teeka thing differs from state of state , in the eastern side mascara is applied under eyes for the evil eye stuff @@bhavs398

[@bhavs398]

@@7_77_. All my family's men have feminine/cute pet names for this very reason, you might think "oh, it's just a pet name" but in my culture, more people know you by that name than your government name. And yes, it's a Rajput thing to get baby boys' ears pierced, some Tamil communities also, and in some other communities. Ofc you can still get them pierced but it's not a "ritual" as such unless it's prevalent In your specific community

[@7_77_.]

@@bhavs398 Each state is unique maybe it's your states custom? I think in Tamil nadu it's not about community but regions and mostly a cultural thing, male child mostly get ear piercing in 1 or 2 years, majority of them don't keep the hole in ear, it's very uncommon to see a ear piercing for male in my district in TN.

[@TheBeird]

Looks interesting. After seeing RRR, I am definately interested in experiencing more Indian cinema

[@Contractor48]

Add tumbad to the list. No masala(means spicy) movie like rrr.

[@shaunkollamparampil1710]

If you want a movie with super chill vibes with great soundtrack try watching Kumbalangi nights.

[@JstJaybeingJay]

​@kochikame363what do u mean?

[@vivekkparashar6369]

​@kochikame363keep crying, there' are hundreds of good movies made across different industries....

[@lbell9695]

I recommend 3 Idiots. It's the perfect gateway movie for those new to Indian cinema.

[@knl654]

being an INDIAN i was too late to this movie but, i finally watched it few weeks ago and i was blown away, regret not watching it in the theatre, it was a masterpeice.

[@NiNe6SiC]

This is what I recently realized about Asia in general. We are the most diverse in terms of cultural, race, and religion, hell even by some ignorant western standards, we covered almost the whole spectrum of skin colors: from the fairest to the darkest, we have it all. But even with all of these differences, there are a lot of similarities that we share. We might even have slightly more similarities than we know of. That's why a movie like this is easily resonates with the Asian audience, while if the same type of movie will almost certainly don't receive the same reaction if it were western made.

[@avinash76979]

After all these years i still wonder how this movie did more business in china than in India itself. 388 crore in India against 1300 crore in china. Still a huge mistery.

[@arhankhan8945]

The same reason why Avengers endgame made 600 ml in China and 60 ml in India ,it's because china have more screens and cost of living is high compared to India

[@avinash76979]

@@arhankhan8945 still english is not a totally alien language in China or the superhero culture shown in avengers is alien there. With hindi in China is a different story, considering half the movie is set in rural area is, it's alienates even more to Chinese culture. That's why I'm not surprised by business done by endgame there as I'm surprised by dangal.

[@Judah_889]

@@avinash76979 actually it was also a super hit even in Taiwan.

[@Ray-gr5fp]

Your videos make my entire week! As one of your Indian subscribers, I really appreciate you for talking about actually good Bollywood movies. Even though Bollywood is very famous globally, I don't see many people doing a deep dive about the movie or actually appreciating it for what it is. Thanks a lot for this video, looking forward to the next one!

[@AzadHind572]

Can't wait to see Aamir Khan returning on the big screen by the end of 2024. Hope so he returns with a masterpiece like Dangal and secret superstar rather than a remake like lal Singh Chadda

[@rutvikrs]

LSC was an amazing movie. Only bigots say otherwise.

[@AzadHind572]

@@rutvikrs first watch the overacting of aamir khan and the weak screenplay and directions in LSC and compare it with real natural acting of SRK in the movie my name is khan where he played the character with autism. SRK in LSC would have been much better in LSC considering aamir khan acting in LSC. Only good thing of LSC was it's brilliant sound track

[@rutvikrs]

@@AzadHind572 sarcasm

[@artlotus_net]

The social commentary was really well done, and felt like it came from understanding of all sides

[@RainbowAceOfSpades]

One of the best videos you've done. The analysis of both Indian and Chinese culture towards women was spot on and struck a chord with my upbringing and the people around me. Although it might not be the intent, but I think this is one of your most emotional videos yet. Thank you.

[@mitiu1289]

as a chinese person I cannot express how much i love 摔跤吧爸爸, its truly something else, after watching this film and secretsuperstar, me and my cousin started learning the lyrics of the indian songs, i still remember how to sing meri pyaari ami, like its soo good.

[@juanortiz9123]

Videos like this one are the reason of why i suscribed to your channel. Thank you accented cinema. Greetings from Argentina!

[@Jobe-13]

Entertainment that transcends cultures is really great.

[@Tskuyomi28]

Saw it with a friend. Was reluctant at first but got swayed because Amir Khan (aka the GOAT) was starring in it. Turned out much better than i thought, it is funny, entertaining, has good stakes and storytelling, and makes you think.

[@KF-zb6gi]

The new transition looks so good! It looks exquisite!

[@miaththered]

Yeah, this movie really resonated with me. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

[@JSjujubee]

I've never cried so much watching a movie as I did when I first watched Dangal. I cried again watching your video. Thank you for sharing this movie with all of us and for your lovely interpretation of it through the lenses of the Chinese audience.

[@abhutiwari4380]

Bro, India and China have much more in common in terms of culture than the west.. I wish our countries were good friends.. love from India.

[@irfan8702]

Your editing work for this video is great!

[@thokevinay]

What a well made video! Keep up the good work. Thank you for posting this.

[@allier1867]

I dont remember exactly where i saw this movie poster pop up but i passed up on it since i was busy. Now i want to watch it.

[@simxinying4916]

I watched it a long time ago and I still remember this film to this day, Im glad that it is getting recognition it deserves ❤

[@KillerTacos54]

Thank you for making this video!

[@c.castro4630]

Wow, one of the best, of no the best, of your channel. I really appreciate your effort on presenting such beautiful movies.

[@yaaaawwn]

Also, based on the story of Phogat family. A lot of things in the movie were added or changed for dramatic effect but it was a great movie

[@deepanshu9459]

This movie has a special place in Indian cinema And more so than that, an Main Stream actor portraying this harsh reality is what grabbed my eyes the most While most of the mainstream actors are money blinded, amir khan is one of the few I respect in the mainstream media A very harsh, much needed video An Amazing job 👍🙏

[@blabm1]

Once again a beautiful review!

[@Youdoyouyeah]

Wonderful insights! Thank you very much for this video!

[@sanaxluv8036]

What I absolutely love about this movie is the realistic portrayal of all the characters which is not commonly seen in such "inspirational sports dramas" all across the world. Every character is a bit likeable and also a bit unlikeable. For example we as an audience love Mahavir when he starts adopting a seemingly progressive mindset and starts training his daughters to help them become renowned wrestlers but he also comes across as a bit unlikeable when he becomes too stern and starts asserting his authority on his daughters i.e how he forcefully makes them exercise, doesn't let them dress up the way they want, cuts their hair against their will etc. And the same goes for Geeta i.e when she comes back home to visit her family, she becomes overly condescending and looks down on her family and disdains their way of living which is very common among teenagers and fairly young people but it isn't actually shown in movies because it detracts from audience's banal fairytales about the life of an athlete. The characters in the movies aren't flawless just like us humans in real life.

[@kerlyenai]

As you mentionned, the father is still living vicariously through his daughters and depriving them of a healthy chilchood. The argument that their lives could have been way worse is indeed no justification. Still, interesting movie and great analysis and not just of its success in China. Thank you.

[@memememe21656]

Man you are the best! You explained the topic very well

[@ScriptSleuth]

This is excellent. Thanks for the wonderful insight!

[@fruitspunch]

Firstly, great video! Secondly, I think it's great that "speaking out" is becoming easier for people suffering various forms of oppression and prejudice. I, a European man, have also unwillingly judged other people for various reasons, but I'm glad that I am taking many steps to no make the same mistakes again. I'm not perfect at it and sometimes still act/speak without thinking of the consequences that my actions might have for the other person, but I'm happy that it seems a supra-cultural phenomenon and many of us are all doing our best to include others rather than ostricazing them.

[@beanpastee_3425]

This move was so beautifully put together.

[@RSG_TheMonster]

*movie

[@dashtoroya2838]

Yet was flawed in actual documention, with personality of a person changed solely for drama purpose. The coach in the real life wasn't the coach in the movie, gita's coach knew who mahavir was and actual respected him and took few suggestions. And mahavir wasn't locked by in the room, he was actually there watching the finals. The movie ruined his reputation in his area and many people including the phogat family called out for this. And the finals was shown as super dramatic even tho phogat dominated the entire match in real life.

[@LilacSreya]

@@dashtoroya2838It’s a movie, not a documentary. It’s still “beautifully put together”.

[@dashtoroya2838]

@@LilacSreya yeah still put together to ruin someone's reputation or rehashing of a match that happens 6 years before the movie was release in their own way?

[@mds33483]

As usual great content... thanks.

[@thebluefishfromspongebob]

that last line was so heartbreaking

[@gargipandit1468]

The story is shown in a male perspective because this movie is the biopic of Mahavir Singh Phogat.

[@nikhil518]

You mentioned how boys are beaten up straight to fulfill the expectations while girls aren't even worth that expectation, that is true for India as well. The Hindi movie "Udaan" encapsulates the male prospect of the aforementioned fact really well. I must suggest that movie to you. Parents and their expectations forced onto their children, Children and their dreams barely surviving and the subsequent clash between the two forces is portrayed really well. I would love to see your takes on it and how this problem compares to problems in China.

[@sandyj342]

Man that point in 7:20 is so true. Great video!

[@baconpancakes8899]

Bro ilove your videos so much, it is just filled with so much passion.

[@solarmoth4628]

Naomi Wu has talked openly about being raised as a boy and how it somewhat influenced their hyperfeminine appearance as an adult. It’s interesting that there weren’t many studies on it since it seems like it’s been common for so many years.

[@goranisacson2502]

As a Swede I don't really know much about any of the culture behind raising a woman like a son- if anything I'm surprised to see that it actually happens for real, when the only exposure I've had to this phenomena have been when anime use it as a way to have a girl character get closet to a male lead, but oooh nooo she's never been allowed to wear girly things or live life as a stereotypical girly girl, so when the male lead tells a girl who's usually dressed in androgynous clothing that she can dress in long dresses she feels so ~free and liberated~ to be allowed to be a girly girl! Suffice to say I thought it was sexist nonsense, but now I learn that... well, it IS sexist nonsense but with some actual backing in real world history and not the kind of nonsense I thought it was. Quite a ride to learn all that...

[@sageofsixpaths98]

Do more of these please!

[@supriyajoshi1347]

Loved the video. Best wishes

[@acetrigger1337]

In Brazil, the patriarchy is quite strong and constant... with all of the latino stereotypes and religious pressures. as a flawed man myself, that spent way too much time in my life as a Toxic Womanizer, i now value strong women that step away from bowing their heads down to societal pressures, and movies like this really bring a tear to my eye as a hint at a much better future of equality for the next generations to come.

[@JstJaybeingJay]

What's a toxic womanizer?

[@rutvikrs]

​@@JstJaybeingJaycode word for male feminist

[@juliab3326]

​@@rutvikrsThe term "male feminist" doesn't exist - feminists are feminists irrespective of sex and gender. Also, "toxic womanizer" doesn't have anything to do with feminism. Seeing that you connect feminism to toxic behaviours, it seems explainations may be in vain. I hope you're doing better nowadays.

[@JstJaybeingJay]

@@rutvikrs Nah they are just toxic🤣.... they cant "womanize" that's why they are feminist😂.

[@JstJaybeingJay]

@@juliab3326 That was just a joke. But a lot of "feminists" are toxic. And some guys who join the "cause" are just their for getting laid/looking for opportunities to get laid. Those guys are referred to as Male feminist.

[@piyushborse]

There was one more movie 3 idiots of aamir khan which created waves across china. Can you please make a video on it aswell? It discuss a lot about education system and challeges

[@ahchoen]

Thank you for sharing this film.

[@aciuschristophores7789]

This was beautifully made, explained and analysed. As an Indian, thank you.

[@BexRanner]

I gotta see this movie now.

[@chinsengfatt]

As a father to a child, i feel happy to welcome girl or boy as my child as they are children, not property

[@virajm3304]

Very well crafted.

[@AL-jg4pr]

Loved this!

[@justinemot2282]

Am crying. Am crying & idk why😢 Thank you for this

[@Lux_Lethal]

Same. I better get tissues before I watch the movie.

[@liberpolo5540]

T^T I thought I was the only one...!

[@JstJaybeingJay]

Why are u crying?

[@vcfirefox]

I always find Chinese analysis to be most detailed. Thanks for sharing. (Indian)

[@69cheesyfries]

this is off topic but it has happened enough times that i want to mention it. for some reason, i always get goosebumps when the name Wu Zetien is mentioned. even her sounds so majestic that manages to incite goosebumps everytime, without fail. though i know next to nothing about her

[@noopwoopoop]

Watching this video really brought big, fat tears to my eyes. This movie is a deep emotion within the Indian audience, which integrates so many social issues without it feeling "preachy", or feeling like its lecturing you, which is why I think it was received very well by even the underprivileged communities in India who still harbor such beliefs and biases, and made so many of us rethink our perspective. What I do feel sad about, however, is that both India and China, 2 great nations known throughout history as enemies have, one of the only times, found something common to relate to, and that ends up being about topics like this and on educational systems in 3 idiots, which I have heard is another really popular Indian movie that blew up in China

[@kirbymarchbarcena]

The word "Dangal" means "Honor" in the Philippine vernacular

[@dramaqueen465]

I had a classmate from Shanghai and she was raised as a boy. She dressed in gender neutral clothes and had stereotypically masculine mannerisms. She told me she was the oldest grandchild and that there were no boys in her family

[@youngrenegade7784]

goddamn such a perfect narration...i just subscribed u

[@imsungjaesmelody.thesnorte5623]

I praise the day I decided to follow this channel.

[@Kizyr]

Been meaning to watch this for a while as Aamir Khan is one of my favorite actors in Indian cinema, just hadn't had the time. I'll need to bump this up in my list. IMO also the Netflix description doesn't do it enough justice.

[@princesmith8008]

If you don't mind me asking, where are you from and which other Indian actors are among your favourites?

[@Aryan-wl1pu]

As an Indian I too want to know about and watch some good Chinese movies. My fav. One to date is 'Kungfu Hustle'. I don't know if that is considered a Hongkong one or a proper Chinese. Whatever be the case, I just love the movie. Have watched literally over a dozen times.

[@Aryan-wl1pu]

@@SaurabhSaxenaGhaziabad Thanks it will certainly keep me busy for quite a while.

[@annaliang7858]

As a fan of Stefan Chow's movies you should really watch the film From Beijing with Love.

[@Aryan-wl1pu]

@@annaliang7858 Thanks for your recommendation. I will look for it.

[@raja-jl9os]

​@@Aryan-wl1pu they make great kung fu movies

[@aditikashyap3150]

it makes me extremely happy to know so many women found strength from this movie. art really does transcends language, distance and barriers. thank you for sharing this

[@techworld6163]

The end national song brought me to tears❤

[@ankushverma8625]

Now i want to know how Andhadhundh did such good in china too.

[@merajpyare8660]

Now that u have seen dangal, there is another movie named Chak de India it too is kind of similar to dangal. Watch it you might enjoy it.

[@jyotishmoibora3666]

you are amazing, keep it up

[@utter6798]

Very well made