Irrfan Khan does it again! With a methodical portray of the
real life Olympic winner Paan singh tomar, Tigmanshu Dhulia has brilliantly
portrayed the life history of one of the illustrious but eventually forgotten
sports heroes of our country. The movie starts off in a flashback when a
journalist interviews Paan Singh who has now become a gruesome”BAAGI” (as he likes to be referred )in the Chambal valley. Paan singh being a jawaan in the Indian army
represents a lean, little but yes an educated
villager who at frequent times does exhibit his love for his wife Indra (mahie
Gill). The mention of lemon drops at times in order to drive their children
away to grab a chance of making love is in a way very amusing. Mahie Gill who
plays the role of his wife has a dark complexion like of all the village girls
around,thus doing justification with the character.Not to forget the typical
language used which enlivens the authenticity of the film.
From a normal jawaan, the army sports coach soon discovers a
rising athlete in him which ultimately favours paan singh's chances to participate in the
steeple chase competition in asian and Olympics. Paan singh makes India proud
by winning laurels in both the tournament and at one instance breaking his own
record. Little did he realize that these laurels and prizes would prove to be
useless when he tries to get hold of his ancestral lands abducted by his own
relatives. And that marks the turning
point of his comfy life. With no support from the government and the police officials who plainly deny to help
him out in acquiring his land, circumstances force paan singh to
get an early retirement and seek to become the most wanted dacoit. He kills and
loots the people whom he considered were bad enough to live for he says that he is not
a criminal, but a person who has punished the culprits fairly. In the meantime
Paan Singh gets into a serious tiff killing 5 gujars and moreover the broadcasting
of his interview thus enrages the
government. Later he is killed in an encounter along with his whole group of
dacoits.
Paan singh Tomar is one movie that would cling the audience
to their seats till the end. Totally different from the usual hundi movie melo
drama, the film does raise a questions regarding those innumerous and forgotten
heroes of sports and the dreadful conditions they encounter afterwards.
For those intellectual and practical minds who always seek
some rationality in bollywood movies, this movie wold surely prove to be a great, enriching and eye opener
experience.
