Budhia Singh: Born to Run

Extraordinary in every sense, a must watch super biopic of a 5 year old boy ,world's youngest marathon runner. Superbly narrative and directed story by ‪#‎SoumendraPadhi‬ ....Lastly cheap politics ruin the career of a wonder boy to No one ‪#‎BudhiaSinghBornToRun‬ It is neither average Bollywood fare nor is it just another sports- themed potboiler designed to magnify the heroics of an achiever.

It does no superfluous huffing and puffing. It instead probes the multiple social and emotional strands, and the dramatic highs and treacherous lows, linked to the incredible true story of Budhia Singh.

By age five, the Odisha boy had run nearly 50 marathons under the tutelage of an obsessive coach Biranchi Das.

I was on a flight and had seen all the mainstream movies on offer when I chanced upon Budhia Singh : Born To Run. I vaguely remembered reading about this film when it was released but somehow never got around to seeing it. Now was the opportunity!

What a film. I was entranced from beginning to end with the saga of wonder runner Budhia and his ill fated coach Biranchi Das .

The unknown child actor Mayur Patole was exceptional as the super runner boy Budhia. Manoj Bajpai was superlative as Biranchi Das. Actually everyone essayed their role brilliantly. The sets were realistic, the editing tight and the plot held the interest throughout. How much of it was from the true saga and how much embellished I do not know. Suffice it to say that this is an exceptional film.

The conflict remains of whether the child Budhia was pushed too hard for his age or not,or whether his talent was being given the push it deserved to make him a marathon champion. By all accounts, Budhia is not doing well in his SAI hostel.

If you have missed this movie, do see it.

There are many forgotten heroes in India, Budhia is just one of them, if someone is making efforts to introduce them then please cooperate!

More than a movie, it's a documentary or a movement against the selfish system of our country. This story has been kept very truthfully and honestly. Hard to review a movie that hits you back so much. Manoj Bajpayee has hit the right chord where other actors are not really equally supporting him. A decently directed film that implants something into the minds of the viewers.

Storyline Rating: 3

Acting Rating: 3 Manoj Bajpayee: 3 Mayur Mahendra Patole: 3

Direction Rating: 3

Music Rating: 2

Cinematography: 2

Editing: 3

Rarely, we stay back and see the end titles of a movie. Budhia Singh, makes you stay, till the very last title is shown. The true story of a 5 year old marathon runner, who went in to history and record books, by running a 65 km marathon in Orissa - inspires and connects us, to the very real world of Budhia. Here nothing is perfect. A mother who sells him off, a coach who is strict and singly focussed on making him a marathon runner, a media that swings from his side to the other, a government that is vehemently opposed to his running, imposes a ban even. A very real world. What does Budhia do. He runs. No complications stop him or affect him. Mayur is brilliant in portraying that simplicity of Budhia the child. Manoj bajpayee as his stubborn coach is just superb. Inspiring true story, excellently told and acted. Must-watch.