Review: 'Paan Singh Tomar'

Film: Paan Singh Tomar
Director: Tigmanshu Dhulia
Cast: Irrfan, Mahie Gill
Rating: ****  

 

From the armed forces to an athlete of international repute to a dacoit of national disrepute, Paan Singh Tomar lived many lives. With close to zilch documentary evidence on Paan Singh’s life, director Tigmanshu Dhulia had a tough time researching for this biopic. If you’re willing to gamble your faith in Dhulia’s efforts, rest assured, you won’t be disappointed. After all, last year he gave us the crackling Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster.

 

Hailing from Madhya Pradesh, Paan Singh Tomar (Irrfan, his second name has been dropped from the credits) entered the armed forces in 1950. He’s more interested in the camp food than he is in the services and is almost written off as “perfect recipe for mutiny” with his nonchalant disrespect for the police and what it stands for. Young Paan Singh is unaware of his strengths and his demeanor is almost comical. His sprinting abilities take him to national and international athletic meets, where he wins medals in the steeplechase race.

 

Mental conflict and rage are evident in Paan Singh’s eyes when he’s stripped of his first ever real chance to fight for the country in the 1965 Indo-Pak war. Protocol says athletes cannot go to the war front. The anger finds a positive outlet at 1967 Asian Games where he bags gold.

 

When family beckons, he heads home to save what’s left of his ancestral farm His cousin Bhanwar Singh has grabbed most of Paan Singh’s land. When Paan Singh seeks help from the police, proudly showing off how he made his country proud, he is asked to prove his mettle. A hurt ego, battered son and dead mother compel Paan Singh to pick up the gun again, this time to terrorise and kill for the injustice his family has been put through. He uses his military training to put together a gang of dacoits, perched onto the banks of River Chambal River. The boy who once brought laurels to the country, now has rewards on his head.

 

The notorious ravines that become their abode are akin to Dhulia’s filmmaker mind that has time and again brought to the silver screen stories from India’s interiors (Shagird, Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster).  Dhulia’s taken special care to write the dialogue in a dialect that is just natural to the story and setting. The screenplay never wavers to accommodate commercial compulsions. No doubt Dhulia chose Irrfan to play Paan Singh. 

 

He takes his distinct understated acting style to a new level, never losing effectiveness. Goondaism looks as glamorous and acceptable as athletics, only because of Irrfan’s spectacular performance. Dhulia’s treatment is such that his audience goes ‘tsk tsk’ when Paan Singh’s men are shot, and his critics will be up in arms against him for glorifying a bunch of dacoits. Who cares.

 

Sexual conflict is another staple of a Dhulia movie. In Paan Singh Tomar, his favourite muse Mahie Gill provides ample scope for it. Every supporting actor (Vipin Sharma, Anupam Kher, Brijendra Kala) adds value to his/her screen time. Abhishek Ray’s music draws inspiration from the ganglands, villages.

 

Dhulia gets it right all the time. But the transformation is too quick to be believable, my only problem with Paan Singh Tomar. Forgivable when pitted against the film as a whole. The length could have been worked upon too. Dialogue, as is true for most Dhulia films, is the strongest point of this one too.

 

Gritty and power packed Paan Singh Tomar is a tribute to the unsung heroes of sports in India. Dhulia’s direction and Irrfan’s integrity will make Paan Singh Tomar among the best movies of recent times.