I watched the movie “Paan Singh Tomar” last week. A moving and strong biopic. Good screenplay and even better acting by Irrfan made the narration gripping. I am not going to review the movie, but share a few thoughts about it.
The movie reminded me of the movie “Raajneeti” that I had watched last year. An unlikely comparison, you might say. But I don’t feel so. In both the movies the protagonist is in a similar situation. In PST, Paan Singh hails from the (erstwhile) notorious region of Chambal. He joins the army, excels in sports and wins country laurels in steeplechase at international level. Everything was rosy till he goes home to find land feud among his brother and cousins worsening. He retires from the army to look after his ancestral home. The turn of events is such that he takes to guns and becomes a dacoit in the ravines of Chambal.
In “Raajneeti” Samar is from a family of politicians but inclined academically. He moves to the US for higher studies. When he comes home for a vacation, he gets drawn in the political brawl in the family much against his wishes. Samar’s father is brutally murdered by his own nephew and he can’t bear to be a mute spectator. Here again the events take such a turn that the protagonist has to take up the role of a scheming person out to take revenge. And this is where I find the similarity in the two movies. Both Paan Singh and Samar move away from their circumstances to improve their lot but in the end the same circumstances do them in. Is this the reality of my India? Because everyone agrees on one point – both the movies are true depictions of the situations they are trying to explore.
At the cost of sounding repetitive, I might add that India is a land of contradictions. On one hand we have the gen next trying to take risks, becoming entrepreneurs, taking on new bold initiatives, interacting with peers on the other side of the world, becoming global citizens. On the other hand we have the reality of poor infrastructure, insensitive and antiquated bureaucracy, orthodox mindset. Yes, I am talking of global reach and orthodox mindset in the same breath. That’s the truth for most of the young generation that has to deal with the contradicting realities of their own present and their parents’ past. And that is the reality of both Paan Singh and Samir: conflict between their own choices and their family background. India is definitely moving ahead on the shoulders of its young generation but the change in outlook has to be from the grassroot level. Only then will the actual change benefit one and all.
Read review of PST here:
This is the irony of our age! We are forced to live with these inherent contradictions. Looking at the brighter side of it, I can say that it makes us more mature and responsible. We are, who we are, but this is what life is all about- striving to become better human beings while combating our weaknesses and drawbacks. BE POSITIVE
Good insight. I agree, it is very hard to stay away from your roots (family) if they are troubled by the circumstances you are trying to get out of. However, I would love to see a positive movie on this plot where the protagonist uses his skills/network/smarts learned (while he was outside these circumstances) to outsmart those people/situations that are pulling him back and thereby solving the problem without losing his freedom. I think it is duty of filmmakers to offer positive stories and hope. Dishing out violance and gruesomeness in the name of reality becomes too much. Or maybe I am an ever optimist who thinks films can drive change..