Whether it was pulp flicks like Bindiya Aur Bandook or the moneyspinner Sholay, dacoit stories have always been a rage with audiences. Then slowly, the craze for these desi Westerns passed, and apart from the stray, gritty Bandit Queen, dacoits died a natural death in the Hindi film industry.
Well, all that may change with the upcoming Paan Singh Tomar — albeit with a twist. So while the film is very much set in the valleys of much maligned Chambal, the dacoits won’t be seen riding horses, jeeps or firing guns. “Real life dacoits can’t afford to ride jeeps or fire guns as the sound attracts too much attention,” says a source close to the film’s director. “And horses can’t gallop on such rocky terrain. All these traditional elements of dacoit films are nothing but a myth.”
Lead actor Irrfan Khan asserts that the film doesn’t glorify bandits in any way. “We’re used to seeing dacoits with kohl-lined eyes and colourful jackets who hang out with gypsy women,” he laughs. “There’s nothing of the sort in our film!”