Babita Phogat, whose story was portrayed in the Bollywood blockbuster Dangal, has revealed that despite the film’s massive earnings of over ₹2070 crore globally, her family received a mere ₹1 crore for selling their story rights. In a recent interview, Babita disclosed that the film’s producers, including Aamir Khan, initially approached her family with the idea of a documentary but later turned it into a full-fledged feature film.
The Story Behind the Film 🎥
Babita shared that the journey began when a Chandigarh journalist wrote an article about their family, which caught the attention of Nitesh Tiwari’s team. Initially, they were told it would be a documentary, but after further discussions, it transformed into the blockbuster Dangal. Babita described watching the movie as an emotional experience, as it brought her back to her childhood memories.
Payment for Story Rights: Shockingly Low? 🤔
When asked about the payment, Babita revealed that the amount her family received was much lower than expected. “After everything was settled, they considered changing our names in the film, but my father put his foot down, insisting that the film should use our real names,” she explained.
Despite the film’s ₹2070 crore success, the Phogat family was paid ₹1 crore for their story, which Babita pointed out is nowhere near even 1% of the total revenue.
Request for an Academy Ignored 🎓
Following the success of the film, Babita’s father, Mahavir Phogat, requested Aamir Khan’s team to help fund an academy for wrestlers in their village. However, their request went unanswered. Babita expressed disappointment, stating, “It takes about ₹5-6 crore to open a nice academy, but that help never came.“
Conclusion 📽️
While Dangal propelled the Phogat sisters to stardom and brought national attention to their story, Babita Phogat’s revelations highlight the vast gap between the film’s financial success and the compensation received by the family that inspired it.