Sometimes a movie or play is not just what it appears on face but it can also act as a touching element that can sensitize and inspire several people to move out of comfort zone and attempt big in life. One such play is the recently released Bollywood movie “Dangal”. Teaching/learning sessions in the traditional way appear boring to many people but if the desired knowledge base is transported through a tasty toffee such as a movie then communicating the intended message becomes easy. A movie can be used as a blackboard to teach people in a uniquely interesting way. Dangal is about a father Mahavir Phogat Ji who as a Guru beautifully trains his daughters so that they excel in wrestling.
Dangal touches upon some really impressive values which have been enlisted in this article below:
1) Respect those who think very much about you.
Narrative: In the movie, it was displayed that Mahavir Phogat as a father thought so much about the bright future for his daughters. He could have simply thought of getting his daughter Geeta Kumari married at a very young age similar to what was happening with other girls of his village. Instead he chose a very unique future of a wrestler for each of his girls. He was listening to a lot of negative and funny comments from other families in his village because he was attempting something uncommon by trying to raise girls similar to boys. The eye opener for Geeta and Babita was when their friend who was getting married at 14 years of age told them that she would love to have father like Mahavir Phogat who was thinking so much for Geeta & Babita.
Lesson: Sometimes you would experience that your parents or elder siblings would try to push you hard to do something in a certain way and that often would be annoying for you. Instead of hating them for what they are doing with you just think that they are after you only because they think so much about you. Choice of attempting you goal in your way or some other way is always with you but there is no harm if you at least think positive about all those who are trying to guide you. Please remember that the time your elders spend running after you and pushing is the time they are losing from their own life and they could have been doing something else in that time.
2) Fight your fear head on
Narrative: In the movie it was amazingly displayed that when Geeta got the opportunity to fight a male counterpart in a local dangal(wrestling match), she chose the most well prepared and strong looking boy from all those who were standing to fight with her. Just to prove to the audience that she could defeat a boy in wrestling and for her own satisfaction Geeta could have chosen the weakest opponent but she chose the toughest instead. Although she lost the match from that boy but the confidence she got by overcoming her fear she earlier had about fighting strong men was actually gone. She later defeated several boys in wrestling.
Lesson: Most human beings don’t think this way and think opposite. When it comes to doing something big in life or doing well in a competition they don't even think about trying to secure the toughest target in the first attempt. Rather, they think of a ladder approach in which they just prepare normally and think of gradually progressing such that some day they would achieve their goal whether it is wrestling, academics, professional career or attempting for a start up firm. Life does not go like this. There is so much of dynamism in the world along with fierce competition and the goal you intend to achieve with ladder approach may actually become much more difficult to achieve than it is today because the world is ever changing. Hence, though you prepare well but competing with the toughest opponent or overcoming your biggest fear first will empower you to gain much bigger confidence level.
3) Never disregard your basics
Narrative: In the movie, it was very beautifully shown that when Geeta Kumari goes to National Sports Academy, Patiala she meets a new coach who forces her to disregard what her father had taught in wrestling and insists her to learn new styles. Very soon she loses focus and disregards her basic wrestling lessons she got during her training received from father since childhood. She even competes with her father in the old training ground and defeats him but forgets that her father loses because of two reasons of which one is that he became weak as he was in his old age and the other reason is that he is her father. Parents often admit defeat from their child during arguments just to ensure that their child's confidence level does not fall. They always try to be there to boost your confidence level. This is not always communicated through words but by body language.
Lesson: Basic knowledge which you gain in your life since birth from your parents or first guru have entered your brain in the most appropriate manner than it can ever happen because your these teachers were true well wishers who never taught you in a certain way out of selfishness but love. Because it has been taught in the best way so it comes into you also in the best way. No other kind of opposite learning or negative thoughts in future that is pushed on to you by someone shall be entertained by you. Several years of focus on certain basics is unlikely to be diluted by any other way. Your basics are never wrong and you just need to augment strength not change source of strength.
4) Inspiring others by showing them a vision
Narrative: In the movie, it was shown that when Mahavir realizes that his daughters need ample protein to become strong he decides to feed them chicken. He does not have enough money to do that. Then he gets this interesting idea of sharing a vision with the chicken shop owner of making his daughter a future world wrestling champion. He tells the shop owner that if he gives him chicken at one fourth of the price then later when Geeta would become a champion then the shop owner may reap benefits of bumper sale by naming himself as the esteemed nutrition provider to the World Wrestling Champion.
Lesson: It is not possible to have victories alone and you will always need well wishers around you to share your vision and support you in your endeavor such that reaching the goal becomes smoother as it becomes more realistic to achieve. All big leaders have this trait of sharing a vision with others to achieve a big goal. Real leaders truly know that going would never be easy without the support of real professionals and business partners.
5) Average attempt is forgotten and only the best is remembered
Narrative: In the second half of the movie, Mahavir Phogal tells his daughter Geeta that if you settle for a Silver medal in Commonwealth Games then people will soon forget her name and so much of struggle that she had all through this wrestling career would have reduced meaning.
Lesson: That was not just a wrestling fight for Geeta but a platform where Geeta had the opportunity to prove to all Indian citizens that females are not meant for wasting their life serving men at home and they can also exist like men to become pride of their families. People often don't attempt as per their best ability because they just see victory or defeat as their personal takeaway while undermining the distinguished value of such victory or defeat for those wellwishers who have a different kind of emotion attached to the climax of their loved one's competition.
Written by:
Devesh Sharma
devesh0102@gmail.com
