Is this film an ode to the ill-fated athletes of our country or the chronicle of a man who lived on his own terms? Paan Singh Tomar, the film, juggles between these themes. It doesn’t quite take a firm stand on either. But along its two and a half hour journey, it speaks the right things, shows the right facts and delivers a holistic catharsis of its protagonist.

The film is unabashedly rural, right down to its heavy south-western UP dialect. It’s set in and around the legendary Chambal ki ghati (Chambal Ravines) and everyone knows what that means. But before Paan Singh, the character, becomes an infamous rebel, he lives out a wonderfully eccentric life as an aspiring sportsman. He’s straight-forward, takes pride in speaking his mind and can run about 20 kms without breaking a serious sweat, just to get a decent meal. It’s the well flushed characterisation of the hero that makes the film and its proceedings so charming. By the end, like in a million movies before, the pure soul is defeated by the corrupt system. But even through its clichés the film manages to cull out a fine and very compelling end.

The one reason Paan Singh Tomar works is Irrfan. That his looks suit the character is a given, but what really shines is his accent and uncanny sense of humour. Before this film, about half the nation knew nothing about its subject, India’s greatest steeplechase champion. But having watched the film, almost everyone will remember the name by Irrfan’s impressions.

The film is a one man show. There’s Mahie Gill who delivers an expectedly strong performance. But the rest of the cast are at best in brief supporting roles. What Tigmanshu Dhulia’s film lacks is a polished production value. Not the rural milieu, but a sense of period drama aesthetic that isn’t quite there. But that fact never hinders the film’s honest effort to tell a story worth telling. The film’s arid surroundings and parched humour are worth every single chuckle. And of course there’s plenty of pathos to wreak your heart. The film ends with memoirs of past athletes who won international gold medals but subsequently lost their battles in life. It is heart breaking but true, just like this very solid feature film.