Paan Singh Tomar (2012) User Reviews

Excellent watch - Irfan gives a stellar performance

[tintinherge · 8/10 · 25 October 2010]

Watched it in the London Film Festival yesterday. Its a star of a movie. Great tight script, super acting, and great direction. All the actors have done a great job but Irfan is just magnificent- he is turning up as the next Nasruddin Shah

Everyone in the cinema seemed to enjoy the movie and the director got a nice applause in the end.

My worry is that this movie might not get a wide release, specially abroad - I hope UTV does it best to publicise and release it as much as it can.

Well recommended !!!!

Tigmanshu Dhulia and Irrfan Khan do it again

[sawhney_g · 9/10 · 3 March 2012]

The pair has given us the unforgettable "Haasil" and they are back again with "Paan Singh Tomar".

The movie has an excellent script, very well supported by the actors and their performances. Irrfan khan does an incredibly good job with the character. Mahie Gill has done equally well and she is really growing as an actor.

The script and its originality is the strongest point of the movie. The direction of the movie is also flawless... Tigmanshu Dhulia must be praised for picking up this script and turning into an excellent movie.

Must Watch

Why you should watch Paan Singh Tomar

[utsavmamoria · 9/10 · 3 March 2012]

Paan Singh Tomar is a fantastic biopic of an Armyman turned Athlete turned dacoit. Apart from great cinematography, which really brought the Bhihad of MP alive, its the dialogues and the ease with which Irrfan Khan carries off the character which really makes the film work.

But the single most appreciable fact about the film is that it considers the audience intelligent. The film in a way is an excellent way to understand what is wrong with India, without being preachy.

Apart from the most obvious one i.e. How India treats its athletes, the film also sheds light on broader national issues. The scene when the village sarpanch (headman) who betrays Paan Singh is ratting out to the police is a grim reminder of how deeply entrenched the Caste system is in our country & the hypocrisy of the upper castes.

Also, the whole film is an excellent critique of how outlaws are often a result of a corrupt and immoral society - nation, which could put into perspective a lot of our views on Naxalites.

It's only rare that a film so honest and gritty comes out of Bollywood. For the amount of senseless cinema we produce, Paan Singn Tomar redeems Bollywood.

The director Tigmanshu Dhulia goes many notches up with this film, and for me he has joined the ranks of Vishal Bhardwaj, Anurag Kashyap & Dibakar Banerjee for making good cinema

Great Movie, A Must Watch For Everyone....

[singhbimal-14 · 10/10 · 3 March 2012]

This is my first time, so please forgive me in case of any mistake...

Just watched this movie with my friends. If SRK & Salman could do 10% of Irrfan's acting,I would not mind calling them superstars. Hats off to Irrfan Khan and the movie.....10/10 !! What a great performance delivered by Irrfan khan. After watching a number of dumb movies released recently, Paan Singh Tomar is like a boon for every Indian movie fan. The director Tigmanshu Dhulia is successfully able to tell the biopic how a former national champion athlete is turned into a Dacoit in a cricket obsessed country. A must watch for everyone.....Highly recommended !!

A real gem in an era of mediocrity

[sain-vivek · 10/10 · 4 March 2012]

In an era where box office success more often means 'No script and mediocrity' in Bollywood, once a while comes a gem like 'Pan Singh Tomar'. Irrfan comes into his own, well immersed into his character...he takes the audience on a trip which brings out a range of emotions from patriotism, guru bhakti, helplessness and finally revenge. Though the language is thick Chamabl dialect but Irrfan bridges that gap with a masterful display forcing you to laugh, cry and feel his pain.

Tigmanshu Dhulia is among the rare breed of bollywood directors along with Anurag Kashyap who have the knack of picking up great scripts and turning them out into movies which have the right mix of real acting and appeal to please both the masses and multiplex audience. The movie is a must watch...go out and enjoy the wonderful experience of watching the haunting Irrfan in action...bow your heads to the person who has grown from Salaam Bombay to Haasil to Maqbool.

A tale of human condition. One of the best biopic from Bollywood. Irrfan was awesome.

[Fella_shibby · 10/10 · 9 September 2013]

I saw this in a theatre. The acting in this film is the shinning point. Especially the main actor Irfaan khan made a great impression on my mind by his excellent acting skill. Irfaan excellently potrayed the emotion of a "runner" who is suffering from pain, frustration and exhaustion, but he is not giving up. The rest is the portrayal of a man who has never had it easy in his life but nonetheless keeps his heart. The screenplay is brilliant. Being a biopic of an army guy/athlete who turned into a dacoit won't b a happy/fun movie. It's a very sad movie. But Irfann did manage to evoke some light moments by his sheer one liners n acting. Imagine an athlete who's very good in running has to run away from police. The direction was good n the cinematography was good capturing the harsh, dry, rural difficult terrain.

An unadulterated effort = Contemporary Masterpiece = Paan Singh Tomar

[jaideepsinghmann · 8/10 · 4 March 2012]

Paan Singh Tomar, national steeplechase champion, nephew of a Dacoit or "Baaghi" as Paan prefers to call it, an army soldier wants to be in army sports because they don't have restriction on eating food. The interesting plot builds on it and takes you to a whirlwind journey of his life, which tickles you, inspires you, and ultimately asks you some very uncomfortable questions.

Tigmanshu Dhulia paints the canvas with natural but vivid emotions, he has surely pulled it off. All characters have color of their own, but Irrfan, has just delivered a performance which will make him stand in league of extraordinary men. He is convincing as middle aged dacoit, and it is pleasant surprise that he looks as convincing as young army soldier running on track in shorts, which his wife thinks he shouldn't wear as women stare at them.

Mahie Gill has restricted territory but like in all her previous films, she has supported the scenes well. All other characters have just beautifully fallen in place. Director has not compromised with authenticity and has retained the language as spoken in the area where movie is set, don't worry English subtitles are there to help you out if you miss some of the dialogs.

The romance between husband and wife has been handled with gentleness, with sequences such as the couple sends their children to buy "lemon-choos" so that they get some time alone. The movie could have been crispier and shorter n second half when plot moves to Chambal as Paan plans to exact his revenge. Director has sensibly not inserted any songs in the movie as they are not required at all, compliments to the team for this common sense. The background score, especially during races compliments the beautiful cinematography.

Overall the movie is a treat to eyes and ears. A must watch ! Compliments to Tigmanshu as he just builds on the skill and craftsmanship he displayed in Haasil and Sahib Biwi aur Gulam. Dhulia leaves you with credits to forgotten heroes of sports who died penniless and without any recognition.

Along comes Irrfan!!

[lakshiyat · 9/10 · 6 March 2012]

A die-hard patriot and an international level athlete who is forced to become a dacoit or should I say 'Baaghi'. Commendable performances by almost the entire cast right from Irrfan Khan to the nervous journalist (Bijendra Kala). Mahie Gill matches steps with Irrfan in a fiery and yet restrained performance. I hand my hat to Tigmanshu Dhulia for crisp dialogues, subtle humor and bringing out the Chambal live to you. You can actually feel the grime and dust of the infamous land. Needless to say Irrfan Khan has delivered superlative performance. He has defined what is called as an 'Effortless Performance'. I hope that this movie brings him the most deserved laurels as he brought the same to the movie. 'Irrfan Khan is Pan Singh Tomar'. Period.

A great film by Tigmanshu Dhulia about an issue which needed to be told

[rangdetumpy · 7 June 2012]

India is probably one of the few countries in the world with various distinct cultures and their own history. In such a nation there were (and are) innumerous people whose life contains all ingredients for a nail-biting tales but sadly biopics are hardly explored in the country. Tigmanshu Dhulia showed guts to pen a script on one of unsung heroes of Indian sports Paan Singh Tomar and end result is a captivating cinema that explores many facets of our system. Paan Singh Tomar is an interesting journey of a loyal soldier and a brilliant athlete (infact a national pride) who transforms into a notorious "dacoit" thanks to the 'system". In a flashback mode the movie deals on the drastic transformation of this loyal army-man into a notorious dacoit (Baaghi as referred by Paan Singh himself). In a linear and simple story PST tells about the plight of an athlete who had brought honours for his own country. Negligence of system is highlighted through his sad tale and the story revolves on framework after independence when seeds of corruption & anti establishment were germinating in full swing. In one sequence Paan Singh tells a journalist that how he was ignored by media when he won medal in steeple chase race in an international army sports meet but now when he was in the other side of the law playing hide-and-seek with the police the journalists are pouring down to get interviews. Another pain stacking sequence shows Paan Singh going to local police to lodge a complaint but he was humiliated by the inspector and even insulted the gold medal which he won for his own country. Tigmanshu dhulia' eye for detailing needs to be acknowledged. While writing the script Dhulia ensured that the audiences identify with the character and gets involved with the proceedings. The crowds were cheering in the initial reels when Paan Singh's potential as an athlete was displayed following which his cry for justice which was put down by the corrupt system. As the film reaches the climax the neglected scenario of athletes indeed touches the emotional chords of the audience. Dhulia's execution makes you think as you leave the theatre. In terms of technicalities Editing and Art department deserves mention. Dhulia's direction is complimented by Irfan Khan who played the role of Paan Singh Tomar with perfection. His nuances, dialogs, expression, body language speaks about a perfect army men. Brownie points should be given to him for his efforts to shape his body at this age and mould himself as the young energetic athlete. His dialogue delivery in the later reels reflected the strive within as he becomes a rebel with a cause. "Bihad mein baghi hote hai, dacoit toh parliament mein bante hai" – this dialogue will be remembered in from now on. A performance that deserves full marks and demands awards, this one is easily one of Irfan's career best performances. The supporting casts were appropriate in their roles. Mahie Gill as Tomar's wife gave a good performance again. Vipin Sharma was a treat to watch in role of Major Masand, a senior to Tomar and one who believed in his potential. Brijendra Kala is as usual dependable and brought a comic flavour as a journalist. With the current scenario of the nation movies like Paan Singh Tomar needs to be made and promoted which injects "thoughts" inside audience in an entertaining way. It's when the movie ends, and the names of four Indian national champions who died penniless are shown, "Paan Singh Tomar" hits the most. Indeed a fitting tribute to unsung heroes of Indian sports. This movie needs to be watched and pondered upon. Tigmanshu Dhulia : Take a bow.

One of the Gems from Bollywood

[sherlee · 10/10 · 6 March 2012]

I watch Indian movies very selectively,after reading its review, I found it an extraordinary movie,no doubt it is one of the gems from Indian Cinema, no songs no dance ,an extraordinary story with superb acting by Irfann Khan, he is a true khan.

The simplicity shown by director in this movie is worth to be watched,Whosays that the big budgeted with so called super stars movies can be hit, but I think Irfan is a real super star.I must say here that the reviews written by Taran Adarsh must be avoided now that he gave only 3 stars to this movie.I recommend it for everyone who wants to have great time in watching movie,I bet, this movie will not disappoint you,I think it would be nominated for Oscars 2013.I am giving it 10/10.

A piece of history

[pcsarkar · 7/10 · 25 March 2012]

A stunner.. An Indian Rambo, far far away from the horse-borne dacoits and cheesy dialogs of similar films. Reportedly based on the life and times of an Indian army subedar, the film is a piece of history. That an army man finds civilian life difficult is well known. But this man took up arms because of the failure of the civilian administration to address his problems, as well as the army's failure to intervene, or at least coordinate with the administration, so that an illustrious ex-army man like Paan Singh had to undergo the travails that he did.

This film is a lesson on how to make films, which are entertaining, and not over-the-top. It is also a history lesson, for those in power, who see this sort of tragedy occurring in the lives of common people, but do nothing, till trouble comes knocking at their own doors.

Hats off to the team of PAAN SINGH TOMAR - the film. May their tribe increase.

True, magnificent & humorously touching

[dineshd-308-253073 · 9/10 · 3 March 2012]

Watched it yesterday in a PVR nearby, since I belong to that region where it is based. I can tell you, it can't get better than this (except a few issues with the catching up with the local language). Irrfan was at its best, depicting army recruit (with normal education) and a person who has inbuilt confidence in his running abilities.

Dacoits... oops... baaghi's aren't depicted in true sense for quite some time now, Last it happened was in Bandit queen.

Not very good in writing but this is something nobody can miss. It makes the viewers live the life & times of Chambal ravines.

Good story, great acting, new concept all goes in favor of the movie.

Must watch, you won't regret.

Sends a message of respecting national pride.

[MuviFan73 · 7/10 · 1 October 2015]

Paan Singh Tomar is a movie about poor man from a remote village of India. He achieves the honor of breaking various records in racing. After getting retired, there is a dispute that sets against his family. Even a national asset is not supported by officials, this in turn makes him a dacoit. The story goes further, he and his associates kill several people for wealth, helping poor. Gradually he dies at the hands of police and story ends.

A movie is now made for suffering national assets, an extra mark for that. Even the Olympic champions sometimes do not gain the deserving respect from officials (in the form of making a living at ease). Government must arrange for certain ways that this doesn't happen at least to people who are nation's pride. I personally did not like Irrfan's acting, a negative mark for that. Somebody who's more flexible physically, would have been well suited for the role. A movie worth a watch, because of the message it sends.

Rating: 8.0/10

Paan Singh Tomar ∞ The Most Important Movie on Indian Sports ∞

[avaclub · 10/10 · 3 March 2012]

Somewhere in the sandy and hilly terrains of the Chambal where a normal human being never wished to visit even in the nightmare there lies a Man - an athlete – a sports person from soul- And a Dacoit now whose winning run for the great nation called India went unnoticed due to crippled ,undemocratic, corrupt political and administration system and forced him to taken his own route for justice- A path which make which more noticed and more popular amongst the country's newspaper, radio and Parliament than winning his gold medals Indian National Games seven times in a row.

The Movie opens up with a journalist who wants to interview the most terrible dacoit of the region Paan Singh Tomar and as the interview moves the story went into flashback. Paan Singh Tomar (Irrfan Khan) works in Army but his dietary supplement requirements moved him to the sport division of the army because there is no limit on diet in sports. Thou luckily his race talent got noticed by his senior to whom he delivered the ice cream at his home in just four minutes Unmelt. Soon he become National Champion in "Indian National Games" and later in "International Military Games" in 1967.But gradually his personal life takes over his Professional life, and the incidents after him changed the course of his life which tuned him from an athlete to a dacoit

The movie touches some serious issues of the Indian sports and Indian sports persons. In a scene where Pan Singh participated in Asian Games at Tokyo , the organizer gave him new spike shoes which become the cause of his defeat because the athlete never practiced with those shoes earlier and sponsors want to show that India can afford spike shoes shows the level of training in the country even applicable today .In a second scene where the coach requested Pan singh to withdrew his name from 5000 mts race else coach's kin would have been lost that race shows again that the super sportsman you know may not be the best because the best was never given the chance. In a third scene where a villager was given bribe in terms of recruiting the villager's son in the Indian army again shows that all in the Indian military may not have joined the army to serve the nation but to serve their selfish motives. Fourth and very important the scene where the Paan Singh Tomar went to police station to file a FIR against his relatives who has grabbed his land unlawfully and beaten up his son helpless and was insulted and rejected shows the system's efficiency to tackle an issue which turns a common man into a rebel – A Dacoit

Paan Singh Tomar also helps to think deepens into the political arena and government arrangements for the promotion of SPORTS not cricket because cricket is so over-hyped and overpaid that sponsors in the previous past has marketed it as a religion and few players as Demi- GODs that the other sports in India per say are lying on the stretcher waiting for the medicines of hope and support from the sponsors and government.

Paan Singh Tomar may not celebrate the spirit of win like 'Chak de India' or "Jo jeeta wohi sikandar" But it does celebrates the spirit the True Sportsmanship and it does it perfectly & flawlessly-Kuods

One Of The Better Movies Of Bollywood.

[uttiyo-sarkar56 · 8/10 · 13 March 2012]

Boosted By An Excellent Performance by Irfan Khan and the rest of the cast, and a meaningful and good story, Pan Singh Tomar is one of the better bollywood movies which has great performances from the cast, a great story which is worth telling, and Irfan Khan just makes it better with his excellent portrayel of his character.

The Story is about a Daku(Dacoit)(Irfan) who was actually a soldier who fought for his country and could give it all for his country who then became a runner and wins gold medal at the Indian national games, but is forced to become a Dacoit after being neglected and insulted by the Police,and his mission is to rebel and defy the police department.

Irfan Khan is one of the few Hollywood worthy actors in bollywood, and probably the best at what he does, he yet again shows his excellent acting qualities in this movie by giving an excellent performance as Paan Singh Tomar, and he has shown the change of his character from a strict soldier to a notorious dacoit with utmost skill. The Rest of the cast also does a very good job in making this into a very well acted movie.

The Director does a decent job in making this film into one of the sensible movies made in bollywood, and good job from him for giving Irfan a perfect role in the movie. The Story which is based on a true story about the same man, is great and shows how many extremely talented athletes in India are neglected by the government and how they can become notorious at times.

Overall this movie is great due to mainly an excellent performance by Irfan Khan and a great story, to make this into one of the better movies of 2012 till now.

My Rating: 7.8/10

Paan Singh Tomar: An Indian national athlete who became a rebel

[rishiinpune · 10/10 · 3 March 2012]

I shall attempt to write a review about the movie. But I must confess that vocabulary needs to be reinvented for writing a review about such a movie. The word Brilliant, Cult will be an understatement.

The story rips apart the callousness of our mediocre society and bares the ugly trust of being a sportsman in India.

Paan Singh Tomar was a national record breaking sprinter who became a rebel. He had an illustrious career as a sportsman in the Army but the chores of his village life forced him to retire early to tend to his fields. The serene life of village proved to be more challenging than the task of defending his motherland. His own cousin brother who had now become a local muscle-man with the help of police took over Paan Singh's field without any remorse. Paan Singh tried every possible way to make our legal system attend to his woes but to no avail. Finally he resorted to his own personal strength to bring justice to the wrong doers.

The story begins with a writer (Brijendra Kala) going for an interview with the Subedar (Irrfan Khan). Brijendra Kala has acted to perfection; it cannot get better than this! Most of the story is in flashback but it keeps you clutched to your seat. Story telling had never been better than this. Paan Singh aka Subedar, a rank which he got in the Army narrates his illustrious career as an athlete in the Army. However the career of a national sports hero does not translate into a successful place in the society as he struggles to keep his farm safe from his own cousin. Tomar who has been taught that Army men are guardians of the country believes that laws and system would protect his farm & family. His belief is shattered when the cops refuse to acknowledge his complaint even after his son is beaten to a pulp by the hands of his cousin. Later when his cousin attacks Tomar's house and kills his beloved mother Tomar sets on another race only this one will be in real life with guns, goons and cops.

A quote from the movie, Paan Singh Tomar says – 'In a race there are rules, rules which state that once you have started the race it doesn't matter if you are ahead of behind or how much time it takes you have to reach the finish line'.

A must watch for all the sports lovers.

National Athlete turns Chamba Valley Dacoit when all govt machinery fails to protect him

[aafreen-karim · 8/10 · 5 March 2012]

Paan Singh Tomar: Irfan Khan is one the greatest actors that we have in India. N...o Doubt. He takes the script to superlative levels. The dialogues are amusing and situations really funny and not crass. His transformation from a national level athlete to a dacoit in the Chambal Valley makes for a rare story. How many such stories have we heard of. Having gone through what Paan goes through its really easy to understand and empathise with the character Paan especially since he picks up arms when all else fails. He approaches all the govt machinery disposable to him..the army , collector and the no good bribe taking , dishonest, lazy unscrupulous Indian police who instead of protecting the citizens instead loots and harasses them and don't we all know that. One wants to run in the opposite direction when one has to deal with police in India and that's the truth none can deny. Paan knows that the unlawful path will lead to his death but to live under such suppression was just not acceptable to him anymore. In my mind Had it been me, i would have taken that coaching job that being an Olympian offered along with cushy discounts at army canteen and a peaceful retirement life on army pension with family.But in my mind I also want to shoot these stupid police guys who tell me not to take the route to my own home at the Aarey Colony. Thank God then that i have movies to pent out my emotions through Pan Singh Tomar.

A Great Effort!

[namashi_1 · 9/10 · 5 May 2012]

A biopic of Paan Singh Tomar, an Indian Athlete who turned Dacoit, 'Paan Singh Tomar' is A Great Effort! Talented Filmmaker Tigmanshu Dhulia makes a biopic, that turns out to be a dazzling experience! Its a Well-Made Film in all respects.

'Paan Singh Tomar' works because the journey of the late Athlete/Dacoit keeps you engrossed & captivated. Here's a biopic, that mixes reality with entertainment. Though a heavy subject, 'Paan Singh Tomar' offers humor, action & most of all, a strong moral! Tigmanshu Dhulia & Sanjay Chauhan's Screenplay mixes reality & entertainment, most efficiently. Tigmanshu Dhulia's Direction is flawless. Cinematography & Editing, are excellent.

Performance-Wise: Irrfan shines as 'Paan Singh Tomar'. The versatile actor proves his mettle once again by delivering a performance, that deserves a National-Award. Without a doubt, this is his finest performance to date. Mahi Gill plays her part well. Vipin Sharma, Rajendra Gupta, Imran Hasnee, Nawazuddin Siddiqui & Zakir Hussain are decent. Brijendra Kala is astonishing in a brief, yet important role.

On the whole, 'Paan Singh Tomar' is A Big Winner! Strongly Recommended!

I have renewed my respect for Irrfan Khan

[bollywoodplusplus · 9/10 · 8 October 2012]

Irrfan Khan to post-Y2K audience is like Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri of pre-Y2K cinema rolled into one. Though that might be a exaggeration given the small body of work he has done, but films like Namesake, and Paan Singh Tomar puts him in the list of such elites. He gets into the role. He looks the character he is performing. One hell of a power-packed performance by Irrfan. He carries the entire film on his shoulder. The direction, the characters and characterization, background music, almost everything in this movie is top-notch. To make it even classier, I thought the camera work could have even been classier. Regardless, its a must watch movie for any serious movie lover.

A gritty tale in the life of another forgotten athlete but famous rebel...

[Bioscopic_Wonders · 13 August 2020]

Paan Singh Tomar is a good film, with some excellent moments and definitely worth a watch. Having said that, there are aspects of it that stop it from being considered in the exalted company of great cinema.

For one, the editing is a choppy in bits, moving from one scene to another rather abruptly. The titular characters motivations after achieving his main objective as a 'Baaghi' was not sketched out with one having to wonder, why does he keep doing this, what is the end goal. He's shown in too much of a positive light, which is a stark contrast to his actions. Probably, those bits were left on the editing table to make the film compact, but given the other wonderful aspects of the movie, you do wish that it was included somehow to give the story a sense of completeness.

Now coming to the good parts. Irrfan, excellent as always. The way he emotes through his eyes and body language is probably the best in the industry, if not one of the best in the world. You can feel Paan Singh's pain, anger, fleeting joys and viciousness radiating out of him, even in silence. Although, I did express qualms about the choppy editing and missing bits, the overall story is well paced and told, at no moment, lagging in pace. The side characters do a good enough job in sketchy parts, but the movie about Paan Singh Tomar, sticks completely around the central character throughout the duration, and with Irrfan playing it to such excellence, I doubt if anyone would complain.

Overall, it is a good film, that could have been an excellent film but for a few minor blips. Given the usual fare of movies, this definitely rises above the crowd.

PAAN SINGH TOMAR : Soldier -> Athelete -> Dacoit... This one's worth it..

[darshancruz · 7/10 · 10 March 2012]

When you have a powerful script at hand, you do not need a 'SRK/SALMAN' to sell it ....Bollywood is back with one such script.

The story is about Paan Singh Tomar. A national record breaking sprinter who became a rebel. He started his career in the military, was one of the best that there was. One fine day, he delivers an ice cream to a general in 4 minutes and we have an athlete in the making. He does a fine job at National level of sports. When he returns to his village, he tries to battle with the police to get his fields back from one of the villagers and all his attempts to do things the right way fail miserably. When one of his very own is hurt, he cannot control it any longer and decides to take the law in his hand. This marks the birth of a goon and we all know how their life ends.The dialog even in the dialect: "When I ran for my country, hardly anyone knew me,but now that I am goon, I have become the talk of the town" creates stirs throughout the movie.

Mahie Gill hardly gets to act, but is OK in her parts. However the movie solely belongs to Irrfan Khan; from a soldier to an athlete and from a national champion to a goon, he is top notch. This actor deserves a standing ovation for this role. Tigamanshu Dhulia (after Saheb, Biwi aur Gangster) is emerging as one of the few under-rated and fine directors that Bollywood has (Vishal Bharadwaj, Anurag Kashyap).

The movie does get a bit dull in parts and hence would not tag this as a 'masterpeice' but Tigmanshu surely leaves his mark with the film depicting the unsung heroes of Indian sports.

Irrfan Khan's efforts pay off as he delivers a gripping performance!

[ssvikas · 8/10 · 16 March 2012]

A rural setting, horses, dacoits and guns or so was the popular Bollywood theme during the 70's and the 80's. With the typical good guys vs. bad theme, 'Sholay' ranks highest on recall. But, Tigmanshu Dhulia's 'Paan Singh Tomar' differs from the rest. It presents the other side of the story, a disturbing tale of a disciplined soldier and a national athlete who is dumped by the system and forced into a path of violence.

While the makers don't call it an exact biopic, the film is reportedly based on the true story of the soldier turned rebel and that Dhulia heard about that story while working as a casting director on the sets of 'Bandit Queen' in Chambal. What follows is intense research, including interviews with Paan Singh's surviving family members.

The tale begins with a journalist (Brijendra Kala) interviewing the Chambal valley's much feared 'baaghi' Paan Singh (Irrfan Khan) who reminisces his life.

Cut to early post-independence era, Paan Singh is a young army recruit with a gluttonous appetite. Although disinterested in sports, he joins the sports division, the clincher being that there would be no restriction on food there.

Soon, Paan Singh's talent as a runner is discovered by his coach who trains him for the 3000m steeplechase culminating in the protagonist becoming the national champion and record holder who represents India in the 1958 Asian Games and gold at the International defense athletics. Over time, he grows in rank and becomes a 'subedar'.

Success apart, personal commitments lead him to early retirement and he also denies a coaching job for the services athletics team. But, fate has different plans for him as a family feud leads him to take up arms and turn into a rebel who operated near the borders of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan during 1979-81.

Since the story traverses through decades, from early post-independence days to early eighties, recreating the setting is a production nightmare. The director responds to it by restricting all scenes to village lanes, athletic stadiums and the rugged terrain of Chambal. The focus, nevertheless, remains on the lead character and never does the film lose itself in sub-plots or item songs, which is otherwise typical to this genre.

Script and direction apart, what keeps the movie together are the gripping performances by the lead actors. Irrfan Khan is said to have trained with athletes and even nursed a sports injury, the results are visible on the screen as he looks the part. He is ably supported by Mahie Gill who plays his wife and Vipin Joshi, better known for playing the demanding dad in 'Taare Zameen Par' plays Major Masand.

Befittingly, the film ends with a tribute to India's unsung athletic heroes who died penniless including one who sold his gold medal. Indirectly, the film critiques our country's poor sports administration and takes a massive dig at the lacunae in law enforcement which could turn a sportsman/ soldier into a criminal.

It goes without saying that in our country, we hardly know any sport outside Cricket. I'm sure that before this movie released, most of us never cared to know what 'steeplechase' was. As an aftereffect of this movie, hope somebody wakes up and chooses to train talented sportsmen from interior parts of the country!

As of now, the film is already successful. If you haven't seen it yet, make sure you watch it before it exits the big screen. Irrfan Khan makes it totally worthwhile!

A biopic of Paan Singh Tomar an Indian Athlete who turned Dacoit.

[Johnrathee · 7/10 · 17 March 2012]

True Story : Paan Singh Tomar was trained as a distance runner while working in the Indian Army. He was a seven times national steeplechase champion during the 1950s.As a subedar with the Bengal Engineers at Roorkee, he represented India in the 1958 Asian Games. His record in the 3,000 m steeplechase stood for almost a decade. According to Joginder Singh Saini, former chief national coach, at 6 feet high, Paan Singh Tomar could cross water jump in a single movement, whereas other athletes stepped on the obstacle to regain balance and add momentum. Paan touched his athletic peak during the four-year period between 1958 to 1961. He won consecutive national titles, eventually taking the place in the national team. In the village where he was born there was a land dispute between Paan Singh and his relatives. He turned to banditry and soon became notorious. He had a reward of 10,000 rupees to his head. Paan Singh was killed in police ambush in 1981.

Movie : Directed under Tigmanshu Dhuli ,staring Irfan Khan stayed true to the facts and become successful in creating a good movie you don't watch to miss .

First half : the movie start in real good pace ( with little glimpse of Tom Hank's 1994 Forrest grump). It focus on the athletic carrier of Pan Singh Tomar . Tomar is a happy guy love his wife in his own way and his country.

Second Half : Acc. to me movie gets slow. I was expecting more some action and funny scene while the training of bandits. it should come in the movie after the first close encounter of Tomar's gang with the police ,when some of them died and get injured .This would gave Tomar a stronger motivation of " Why bandits need to be fit too" ??

IN THE END :Movie focused on the small things in very amusing way .Like Tomar's fond of food and ice-creams . Thinking of national coaches back in 1960's who Wanted medals with limited sources given to athletes at home . How he learned from his passion to run . Life is like a race you don't look back and never forfeit till the end. Most of the characters were naive but had a proper accent and looked convincing in their respective roles . Pan Singh Tomar is a sad story of a sports personal who died because of all the wrong decisions.

Finally something worthy of watching.

[manendra-lodhi · 8/10 · 2 July 2012]

It is a great delight to see films like these now and then. The compelling factor that can make anyone watch the film is Irrfan Khan. Other than that the story is also worth watching once. What I felt in the starting was that the events were rushed. For around half an hour in the starting it seemed as if I was watching things with the feel of a documentary. However the film picked up pace and was on right track after the half time. Rarely are films made on subjects like these in India. The acting by the supporting cast was unimpressive. However Irrfan can steal any show. The regional language used in the film all the time makes the film much more compelling. Many a times I suffered with the syndrome of – "It should have been this way." But overall the film is a must watch for Indian audience.

"A definite one time watch for everyone."

Ice Cream.

[morrison-dylan-fan · 9/10 · 11 August 2012]

Since having found the 1974 "Curry Western" Dacoit film Khhotte Sikkay to be pretty enjoyable,I became very intrigued,when I read a good amount of praise on the IMDb's Indian movie board about a recently realised movie which took a look at one of India's most successful athlete's:Paan Singh Tomar,who later became one of India's most infamous Dacoit's.

The plot:

1980:

Getting information from his informants which could lead to him getting the biggest story of the year, a newspaper reporter rushes to get a relative of his, (who is also taking care of his young niece) to come along with him to the very outskirts in the city,in the hope of finding one of India's most famous Dacoit's:Paan Singh Tomar.

Arriving to the location,the reporter is met by a group of men who claim to be members of Tomar's gang.Due to the group being unsure about how genuine he is,they decide to keep the niece and uncle as a "safe guarantee",and tell the reporter that he is the only one who they will allow to meet Tomar.Taking him to their hideaway based at a run down building,the reporter finally gets his chance to come face to face with Paan Singh Tomar.

Tomar shows a strong dislike for the reporter,due to him deciding to get straight to the point and making his first question be :"How did you become a Dacoit?"

Fearing that he is about to lose the scoop of the year,the reporter does a hasty back track,and instead decides to make his first question: "When did you pick up a gun for the first time?".

Feeling that the report may actually be here for more than just a "cheap thrill",Tomar begins to tell him,how he went from being a 7 time Steeplechase champion surrounded by people whose tradition he deeply respected,to finding himself chewed up and spat out into a world filled with betrayers of any tradition,which lead to him deciding that the only one who could do the right thing and show that corruption did not decay everything around people:was himself.

View on the film:

For the handful of cars and motorbikes that appear in the film,director Tigmanshu Dhulia shows them right at the very edge of the frame,to give a strong feeling that they are about to drive off to a completely different era miles away from the movie.Despite the very best attempts from my DVD players to stop me from seeing this film, (the first player jammed at the half way point,and ended up constantly bringing up the sign "No DVD in player",whilst my spare DVD player would only play the film in black and white!) they were thankfully unable to stop Dhulia's tremendous directing from shining.

With Dhulia choosing specific moments in Tomar's athletic career and Dacoit period to use a slow-mo effect to show Paan gaining the respect of his peers in the athletic ranks,to slowing down the moments when fatal shots are fired during a number of terrific,tense gun battles, (with a stand out one being a shoot out that Dhulia beautifully sets in the middle of a river) to show that the applause Tomar use to hear during his moments of glory,have now been replaced with the sound of people taking their final breath.

Looking at the fantastic screenplay of the film, (which IMDb has weirdly not credited) Writers Dhulia and Sanjay Chauhan brilliantly take the traditional Wild West "baddie" role,and spin it into a new exciting direction.Using Paan Singh Tomar's (played by a great.focused Irrfan Khan) athletics training as a place filled with "old guard" traditional soldiers and police officers,who teach Tomar skills about concentrating and being determined,which would also be given to any lonely gunslinger,who finds themselves to be the only brave enough person to protect a town from being taken over.

Getting away from the athletics,Dhulia and Chauhan use Tomar's family farmland being taken over by a ruthless gang,as the moment for when Tomar calls for the cavalry to arrive and save the day.Sadly for Tomar, Dhulia and Chauhan expertly show that the era when "the cavalry" and other figures who are meant to stand up and protect the "common man's" town from being over run with outlaws,and to also wear a badge of authority (such as a sheriffs badge) with honour,instead of seeing it as just a cheap piece of silver.

Getting Tomar to see all of the corruptions and tragedy's happening around,the writers slowly show Tomar relies that he is the last person left,who strongly keeps to the tradition of knowing what good and evil is,which leads to him having to make an unimaginable decision of leaving "the cavalry" and everything he has valued for his whole life,to become the thing that he has hated most,in the hope of having the chance to do the right thing.