Paan Singh Tomar: Movie review

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.