Paan Singh Tomar: What I think of it

Paan Singh Tomar, supposedly, is a true life account of an individual by the same name. I say supposedly because I looked up Google for the name but all I got were links to the movie, but none to the actual individual. Either the individual was, indeed, never recognized for his efforts or the movie is a blatant lie. Nevertheless, let us continue.

Film Synopsis: 

This film begins in the 1980's as a local newspaper reporter gets set for his big break - a once-in-a-lifetime chance to interview the dreaded dacoit Paan Singh Tomar. Paan Singh (played by Irrfan), however, resents the word "dacoit" and prefers to be called "baaghi" (rebel) instead. As the interview progresses in Paan Singh's secret hideout, the film moves to flashback, to the rural India of the 1950's. 

Paan Singh Tomar begins by telling the reporter about his life in his village Morena, in Madhya Pradesh. He recalls about his family, and his wife (played by Mahi Gill). Paan Singh concedes that he was in the army as a "jawan". and mentions how his voracious appetite was a cause for trouble due to the limited rationing of the army's food supplies. At one point, a senior stops him from taking a second helping of food and tells Paan Singh that "this is the army, not a wedding reception". He advises Paan Singh that if he wants to eat a lot of food, he should join the Sports division of the Army.

Being a simpleton that he is, Paan Singh applies and is selected in the Sports division of the Army. His amazing pace and stamina in the long distance category leave his superiors and also his coach spellbound. However, at the request of his coach, Paan Singh moves from 5000m category and instead focuses on the Steeplechase event. He goes on to set many records in the National Army Athletics meet, breaking record after record. Paan Singh is also sent to Tokyo to represent the Indian Army in the International Army Athletics meet. However, because of his unfamiliarity in using spikes while running, he removes the spiked shoes midway and starts running bare feet only to end up losing the race which, he confesses to the reporter, was a regret he lived with.

Paan Singh's family back home expands and he now has two children. However, trouble starts brewing in his village as his relatives use unfair means to illegally occupy his land and steal his harvests. Paan Singh is forced to take voluntary retirement from the army to tend to his domestic needs. Then begins the crux of the movie, the reasons which turned a man, who had staunch faith in the army, into a killer and a dacoit. After the interview with the reporter ends, the time frame continues in the present day and follows Paan Singh's activities until the end of the movie.

My comments:

Frankly, I went to watch this movie with little expectations. It was a last minute call and I didn't really care if the movie was good or bad.

However, I have to say that this is quite a good movie. 

The story line, as is the case with most inspired-by-a-true-story films, cannot be expected to have a sublime twist that will leave you spellbound. In fact, the strength of such movies lies squarely on the shoulders of the main protagonist, and whether or not the actor/actress can do justice to the real person and the real situation. Now, if the real person was a well known character (like Margaret Thatcher in "The Iron Lady") then the actor's job becomes doubly difficult because the audience knows what and who the actor is trying to portray. In this case, however, I doubt if anyone in the general public had heard of Paan Singh Tomar. That left Irrfan with some flexibility to add his colors to the character on screen, and it shows. 

Irrfan acts the way he has always done. And that is in a good, powerful way. He is one of the more refined actors in Bollywood today, and when playing a powerful and diverse role such as this (an army man, a sportsperson, a family man, a dacoit) you need that kind of talent to pull off such a character with conviction. Irrfan, in my opinion, does that well. For example, it is a pleasure to watch him as a hungry simpleton for whom a 5000m race is like a walk in the park - while his competitors are panting and collapsing around him after completing the race, he coolly sits down after winning the race, folds his legs, and eats a big bunch of bananas like he hasn't eaten for days!

All in all, watch this movie for Irrfan. He is the soul of this movie as expected. And the good news: he delivers.

I will give this movie 3 out of 5 stars. A good watch, this film.