Phagwara: Former Indian wrestling coach PR Sondhi has conveyed his ‘displeasure’ to film star Aamir Khan for allegedly demeaning the character of wrestling coach in the movie ‘Dangal’.
Phagwara-based Sondhi, who had trained the Phogat sisters Geeta and Babita ahead of their participation in the 2010 Commonwealth Games, is miffed with the film makers for showing a character modelled after him in a poor light.
“I told Aamir that the film was good and will boost sports, especially wrestling, particularly in North India. I called him up Wednesday and had a long discussions with him,” Sondhi said here Thursday.
“However, I also told Aamir that portrayal of the coach in negative role had hurt me (Sondhi) hugely. He (Aamir) or director Nitesh Tiwari should have talked to me about it,” he added.
Sondhi had met Aamir during shooting of Dangal in Ludhiana. “We discussed wrestling but nothing about the portrayal of coach was talked about,” Sondhi claimed.
He also informed that Aamir had given him a patient hearing. “I hope Aamir will again ring me up to clear my objection to the ‘villainous’ portrayal of coach as it had downgraded coaches as a class and (he) will say sorry for it,” stated Sondhi.
“Aamir is a good actor, good film maker and a good person. I am his fan. I don’t know how he committed this mistake,” a perturbed Sondhi added.
In the movie, Sondhi’s character – PR Kadam played by Girish Kulkarni – is shown locking up Mahavir Phogat, portrayed by Aamir, in a store room during Geeta’s gold medal bout in the 55kg category. “No such thing happened at all,” said Sondhi emphatically. “There were five other coaches. There were wrestling officials and media. If anything like it had happened, it must have been picked by media,” he argued.
Press Trust of India
