MAMAMOO‘s Solar took to her eponymous and punnily named YouTube channel Solarsido to recommend her favorite movie.
While people might expect her favorite movie to be an iconic Korean film, and there are certainly many to choose from, Solar’s choice was surprising… But pleasantly so!
Do you have any idea what it could be…?
It’s Dangal! Dangal is a Hindi-language Indian film about wrestling, loosely based on the Phogat family, that was released in 2016. It is currently available to watch on Netflix in the US.
While the title didn’t draw Solar in, the content surely did. Due to her interest in the content, she investigated the film and looked up ratings online.
Indian films have their own characteristics. Whether it’s the singing or whatnot. This movie has those strong characteristics and also isn’t unfamiliar at all. It’s really relatable and slowly makes you focus more.
—Solar
She expressed an interest in movies that are based on true stories because they have the ability to more strongly resonate with viewers.
Just a warning, if you haven’t watched Dangal, there are a few spoilers ahead…
The film’s patriarch, Mahavir, is an ex-wrestler whose dream it was to win a gold medal in the sport. Because he came from a family that was not well-to-do and because his father was against it, his dream was never realized.
Even after growing up, he couldn’t let go of his dream. Due to the persistent nature of his dream, he planned to train his child (once he had one) at becoming a gold medal wrestler so he could live vicariously through them.
Once he starts his family, he ultimately ends up having four daughters and begins to feel like he should give up on his dream.
After feeling downtrodden, prepared to give up his dream, something happens…
… Something very interesting.
That’s when Mahavir realizes, he could train his daughters to be wrestlers! Life has a funny way of changing our perception of things.
Mahavir begins to train his daughters, and although they showed an aptitude for physical sports, they’re also quite young and weren’t emotionally and physically prepared for the training required to become wrestlers.
Despite the girls’ grievances, their father finds ways to circumvent their complaints.
When the girls express their unhappiness over their father’s treatment of them, their friend shocked them by sharing that she was actually envious of the way their father treated them!
When they realize that their father treats them as people, not commodities or less than, they begin to appreciate him and show their gratitude by working hard during their training.
Eventually, because Geeta is the older daughter, she goes into competition first. Although she lost, she takes it as motivation to try harder.
And that petty energy paid off because our girl Geeta starts kicking butt and taking names, consistently coming in at number one for every competition she enters.
Eventually, Geeta enrolls at a sports academy to further her education and during her time away, she begins to enjoy the typical things teenage girls like to do, like dressing up and hanging out with friends.
Upon returning home for a visit, she sees her younger sister Babita practicing wrestling moves she criticized them for being old fashioned.
So, Mahavir challenges Geeta to a wrestling match…
… Which he lost. Dejected over his loss, he leaves, which made Solar cry.
Speaking to her sister alone, Babita tells Geeta that it wasn’t their dad’s techniques that became weak, but his body because he’s an old man now.
After Geeta begins experiencing losses, Babita encourages her to seek advice from their dad, which the former eventually does. In true dad form, he came to help right away.
Unfortunately, because the girls are attending a sports academy which provides them with a coach, they have to train with their dad in secret, waking up super early to practice with him before attending their classes.
Things go exactly as you expect, and they are caught secretly training with their dad.
The school decided to forgive the girls, however, they continue training in secret.
In his dedication to make them better wrestlers, he analyzed footage of their matches and would give them feedback to point out specific mistakes they made and advice as to how they could improve.
In an epiphany-like moment, Geeta cuts her hair, returning it to the sports-cut her dad had given her from the beginning and throws herself whole-heartedly into her matches.
Geeta was able to compete in a really big world competition, and as she continued to rise in the rankings, she ended up wrestling against a friend.
Following her dad’s advice, she was able to proceed all the way to the finals, which would mean she realized the ultimate goal: Winning a gold medal!
Unfortunately, while Geeta was winning, it seemed like not everyone was happy about this turn of events…
… And they locked Mahavir away so that he couldn’t meddle in the final match.
All he could do was wait patiently to find out the end result.
So, what happens? Well…, you’ll have to watch the movie to find out!
So, this movie, after you watch it… It’s really moving. It’ll make you cry while watching it, and it’s fun. It’s really nice. And there is this song that comes up in between… That song is really nice! It keeps lingering in your ear because it’s so good.
—Solar
I feel it’s the kind of movie that really enriches your heart.
—Solar
Well, there you have it! Dangal is Solar’s favorite movie and if her description of it moved you to watch it, you can check it out on Netflix! Don’t forget to bring out the tissues if you decide to watch it. Solar said the movie made her cry at least twice!
