Dangal has had an explosive start at the box-office with celebrities, critics and moviegoers going gaga over the film in equal measure. Garnering massive critical acclaim from all corners, this Aamir Khan-starrer is being touted as one of the best films he has worked on so far. 

So, here’s a round-up of what the critics have to say about the film that is all set to make and break records at the box office this year.

Times of India

“What works wonderfully here is the writing. Director Nitesh Tiwari, along with Piyush Gupta, Shreyas Jain and Nikhil Mehrotra should be complimented for their tongue-in-cheek quality, peppered with humour and several poignant father-daughter emotions all through.”

The New York Times

“The movie benefits from the amount of time it devotes to wrestling strategy. It pays off in suspenseful bouts that haven’t been hyperedited into incoherence, with actresses who really appear to be grappling.”

Reuters

“Up until the last 20 minutes of the film, Tiwari leaves little room for mistakes. And then, like an expert driver who suddenly loses control of his car, Tiwari throws it all away in the climax. The characters bandy about big words, jingoism comes into the picture, and the film reaches its lowest point with a scene involving a caricaturish villain. Try as he might, Tiwari is unable to resist the temptation to inject that one bit of Bollywood-style drama. In doing so, he sullies what would have otherwise been a pristine effort at making a true-blue sports film.”

MensXP

“Dangal has moments of greatness and the aura of a classic, even though its lofty ambitions aren’t always matched with the consistency demanded from a true epic. Yet, there’s enough craftiness packed in its 160-minute runtime to win you over. The wrestling matches are beautifully choreographed and shot (Sethu Sriram). Props to Tiwari for his restrained use of commentary and background music in the film’s nail-biting moments.”

Hindustan Times

“This could be Aamir’s best performance till date. Yes, even better than Lagaan. A man making his daughters chase his dream. He cries, frowns, gets angry, looks old and tired, but is definitely one of us. When he shakes his head helplessly, you see a father in him. When he gets into a brawl, he is the brother you always depended on. When he wants to see you win, you know you have to perform. It’s not just his pride, it’s yours as well.”

Scroll.in

“As a study of single-minded dedication, Nitesh Tiwari’s biopic Dangal could not have had a  more apt lead: an actor known for his perfectionism and deep involvement with the projects he chooses. Aamir Khan is perfectly cast as Mahavir Singh Phogat, the remarkable head of a singular family of female wrestlers from Haryana, including the medal-winning Geeta and Babita. Dangal is a chronicle of the industriousness, perseverance and personal sacrifice that produce sporting champions, but it is above all a tribute to obsession. Except for a few scenes, every moment in the 161-minute film reflects Phogat’s dream of making his daughters worthy of winning a gold medal for India. This is the kind of movie in which even small talk involves the words wrestling, medal, hard work, victory, and India.”