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Time of India
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
THIS was the first ever sports biopic made in Indian cinema
The Indian cinema has long romanticized bigger-than-life heroes, but the genre of sports biopics remained untapped until the release of ' Paan Singh Tomar ' in 2012. Made by Tigmanshu Dhulia and starring Irrfan Khan as the titular character, the film is widely considered to be the first mainstream sports biopic of Indian cinema that managed to succeed both critically and commercially, thereby marking a benchmark for films in the genre to follow. Storyline and plot 'Paan Singh Tomar' is inspired by the true life of Paan Singh Tomar, a phenomenal sportsman who was a soldier in the Indian Army and went on to become a seven-time national steeplechase champion in the 1950s and 1960s. The film follows his rise from a talented sportsman who represented India in the 1958 Asian Games to his sad transformation into a dreaded dacoit in the Chambal Valley, fuelled by personal revenge and bureaucratic indifference. The story flows in two simultaneous narratives: Tomar's emergence as a sportsman, influenced by discipline, nationalism, and national pride, and his fall into outlawry, instigated by unsettled land conflicts and the inability of the authorities to mete out justice. The film touchingly examines the issue of neglect of national sporting heroes by society, bringing out how situations can lead even the morally upright to a life of rebellion. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like AI guru Andrew Ng recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around in 2025 Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo Characters and performances Irrfan Khan gives a tour de force performance as Paan Singh Tomar, capturing the sportsperson's physical strength, emotional fragility, and later disillusionment with great depth. He is ably seconded by a strong supporting cast, including Mahie Gill as Tomar's wife, Vipin Sharma, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui in significant roles. The realism of the characters is also established by the realistic dialogues, screenplay, and cinematography of the film, which realistically portray both the sporting world and the hilly terrains of Chambal. Production and reception Produced on a budget of ₹ 7.00 Cr, 'Paan Singh Tomar' was released in the London Film Festival in 2010 prior to its India-wide theater release on 2 March 2012. The movie received the status of a sleeper hit with a box office collection of around ₹ 17.05 Cr across the world and was appreciated for its intense narration and strong performances. Achievements and legacy 'Paan Singh Tomar swept' top honors, including Best Feature Film and Best Actor (Irrfan Khan) at the 60th National Film Awards. It also picked up awards for Best Screenplay, Best Dialogue, and Critics' Awards, among others. The film's success not only renewed interest in the life of a lost sports hero but also opened the doors to a new wave of sports biopics in India. Essentially, 'Paan Singh Tomar' is a milestone of Indian cinema, which fuses the energy of sports with a powerful human narrative, and is a benchmark for biopic storytelling in Bollywood
Irish Post
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Post
New documentary shedding light on 'deeply private' actor Stephen Rea set to air on BBC
A NEW documentary about self-confessed 'deeply private' actor Stephen Rea is set to air on the BBC. Stephen Rea: The Fire in Me Now sees the award-winning actor reflect on his journey to the stage and screen. The Oscar nominee takes viewers on a journey from the North Belfast streets where he grew up to his home in Dublin, where he now lives. It also explores his time in his beloved Donegal as well as London's Maida Vale, where he spent time as an actor. Rea at the world premiere of the miniseries The English, in which he stars as Sheriff Robert Marshall, at the 2022 London Film Festival (Image: Kate Green / Getty Images for BFI) "I was initially reluctant to do the documentary in lots of ways because I am a deeply private person, and I've always believed that the work has to be bigger than your ego," said Rea. "But I did want to pay homage to the friendship and generosity of the collaborators I was lucky to find, like Nancy Meckler and Neil Jordan, who helped me personally and in my career. "I am a proud North Belfast man, and I hope the film shows younger people in the business that no matter where you're from, there's not one set path to being an actor. "It's about being true to yourself." Commanding presence Now into his seventh decade as a stage actor, the documentary finds Rea in Dublin for rehearsals for the Samuel Beckett play, Krapp's Last Tape. It's a performance more than a decade in the making as preparations for the 'one man show' began 14 years ago when he recorded audio tapes of his younger self playing Krapp. However, the documentary also features archive footage of Rea, including rarely seen student sketches at Queen's University Belfast in the 1960s. Looking back on his stint in the Abbey Theatre, Dublin through to his recent collaborations with theatre director Vicky Featherstone, the film shines a light on the hypnotic draw of Rea's commanding presence on stage and screen. It also sees the actor reflect on the creation of The Field Day Theatre Company with playwright Brian Friel and their early collaborations together, including the first production of Translations in Derry's Guildhall. Rea, left, with frequent collaborator Neil Jordan after being honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2024 Irish Film and Television Academy Awards (Image: Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland) The film includes contributions from friends and collaborators, including Eamonn McCann and actor Sinéad Cusack. Meanwhile, Rea and Jordan reminisce about the films they have made together, which include their first collaboration, Angel, The Company of Wolves and Interview with the Vampire. The pair also teamed up for 1992's The Crying Game, which earned Rea an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. However, despite his success on stage and screen, Rea calls himself a mischievous 'messer' who has never forgotten his working-class roots. Stephen Rea: The Fire in Me Now made by Walk On Air Films, is a co-commission for BBC Northern Ireland and RTÉ with support from Northern Ireland Screen. The film airs on Thursday, April 24 at 10.40pm on BBC One Northern Ireland and BBC iPlayer.
Forbes
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Elton John Ties Bruce Springsteen With His New Album
Elton John scores his twenty-second top 10 album on the Billboard 200 with Who Believes in Angels?, ... More tying Bruce Springsteen's record. LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 10: Elton John attends the Elton John: Never Too Late European debut as part of the London Film Festival at Southbank Centre - Royal Festival Hall on October 10, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images for Disney) Elton John scores another big album in the United States this week, and he has someone to celebrate his latest win with. The musical legend appears inside the top 10 on the Billboard 200 again with Who Believes In Angels?, his collaborative new full-length with Brandi Carlile. This latest set isn't just any other, average success, though. As the project debuts, it helps him tie with one of rock's most celebrated names and pull ahead of a few others he's been matched with for years. Who Believes in Angels? opens at No. 9 on this week's Billboard 200, the ranking that shows which albums the American public is consuming. It opens with 40,000 equivalent units shifted in its first frame, and, according to Luminate, nearly all of those units — 36,500 to be exact — are pure sales. That's just enough to place it inside the top 10, which is important to the piano player. Thanks to Who Believes in Angels?, John now claims 22 top 10 albums on the Billboard 200. As he adds one more to his growing track record of huge successes, he matches with Bruce Springsteen for the eighth-most appearances inside the uppermost region on the chart in U.S. history. Before this new project arrived, John was steady with 21 top 10s on the Billboard 200, which at which point he was matched with both George Strait and Paul McCartney — whose solo output is also combined with Wings, according to Billboard. This ranking could change again, though, as both of those stars are still working and releasing new music, and they still claim sizable fanbases. Even with his new bestseller, John still has a long way to go before he matches the all-time record holders. The Rolling Stones continue to lead the pack, with 38 top 10 albums. That number grew only recently, with the band's Hackney Diamonds dropping a little more than a year ago. Barbra Streisand claims the second-most top 10s of all time with 34, while Frank Sinatra and The Beatles follow with 33 and 32, respectively.
BBC News
14-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
New film telling the story of the struggles of migrant workers
Loneliness and the precarious work prospects of immigrant workers are themes explored in a new film written and directed by Scottish-based film maker Laura Carreira. In 'On Falling', her first feature film, she highlights the isolation and insecurity that comes with some working in a huge warehouse, scanning items in a job dictated by the bleep of a machine, knowing your productivity is being constantly when work is finished, you go home to your shared accommodation, where you sit on your own eating cheap meals as that is all you can afford, and spend much of your time 'doom scrolling' on social is the life of Aurora, a character in the film 'On Falling'. A timid and lonely female migrant, she works as a 'picker' in a Scottish film illustrates the precariousness of 'gig work' and the importance of human connection. "We follow her in a week where she's struggling to make ends meet and also struggling with loneliness and alienation," said Ms Carreira. "I started reading a lot about the gig economy and I discovered the job of a picker," said Ms Carreira"When companies talk about efficiency and how quickly a parcel gets to you, I was expecting it to come from technology, but actually it's someone rushing around a warehouse, getting the item as fast as they can and being told to the second how long they have to get there. "Immediately I thought - there is a film here." Having moved to Scotland at the young age of 18 to study film in Edinburgh, Ms Carreira says that gave her the perspective to tell the story from the viewpoint of an immigrant."I started interviewing pickers and realised a lot are economic migrants. I realised I could tell this story and I could tell it through a Portuguese female character as well. 'Loneliness and exploitation' "Those first years were hard, you know? You don't have any social ties to the country and you are trying to belong. You experience the loneliness and the exploitation closer to your skin because when you don't have those ties you have less security and less protections. "But I really think that what she's going through is pretty universal, anyone who works can probably relate to elements of what Aurora is going through."'On Falling' had its preview at the London Film Festival last is being shown at the Watershed cinema in Bristol until 20 March, in a partnership with the Glasgow Film Festival, before being released at 54 more cinemas across the UK. "I think it is part of the immigrant's experience to go into another country looking for a better life and it might not be there," Ms Carreira said."Of course sometimes you do find your way and you find a sense of belonging. And I think that can be a really positive experience when you come from another country, you're speaking a different language, and after so many years you're part of it."Despite the struggles of Aurora in the film, Ms Carreira said she wanted to bring a more positive issue to light."Even though the film can be dark at points, for me it was really important to preserve the kindness of others," she said."I think sometimes we find ourselves in these strange positions, with this entire idea that we're out there competing against each other. "But in reality, I think people really care for each other and as migrant that's a perspective that you get, and I wanted to bring that into the film."
