Paan Singh Tomar to be released in the UAE

In a surprise move by local distributors, Irrfan Khan’s critic-friendly film Paan Singh Tomar will be released in the UAE following its release in India two weeks ago. The film, based on the national steeple¬chase champion who quit the army to become the Bandit King of the Chambal Valley, will be shown in the UAE big screens from this Thursday. “Paan Singh Tomar is not your typical masala film and we rarely release a film in the UAE after it has already released in another country. But we wanted the audience to see Irrfan’s performance,” said Mahi Golchin Depala, Managing Director at Phars Films. Her company collaborated with Al Nisr Cinema Films to bring the film to the UAE audiences. Though it has opened to favourable reviews, the drama -- which premiered at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival in 2010 -- took its time in finding takers. “We decided that it’s time to treat audiences to small-budget features that are not necessarily made up of big stars and songs. Paan Singh Tomar is a good film; there is no contest there,” added Depala, who has also bought the rights to upcoming big-budget entertainers such as Agent Vinod and Housefull 2. The producers in India, UTV Motion Pictures, couldn’t agree more. “It’s a combination of good reviews and public demand that worked in our favour. The feedback from the film which released in India and North America helped our case. The UAE audiences will want to watch it for Irrfan’s performance.” The 49-year-old actor’s performance in this film has been rated “flawless” and “pitch-perfect” by critics in India.