Paan Singh Tomar (2012) Reviews

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

  singhbimal-142012-03-03

  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 !!

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• Excellent watch - Irfan gives a stellar performance

  tintinherge2010-10-25

  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 !!!!

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• An unadulterated effort = Contemporary Masterpiece = Paan Singh Tomar

  jaideepsinghmann2012-03-04

  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.

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• Why you should watch Paan Singh Tomar

  utsavmamoria2012-03-03

  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

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• A real gem in an era of mediocrity

  sain-vivek2012-03-04

  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.

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