Irrfan Khan Stars in "Paan Singh Tomar" A Bollywood screenwriter might blush to come up with the story of a national champion runner who becomes more famous as an outlaw. But Tigmanshu Dhulia's uneven, absorbing Hindi film "Paan Singh Tomar," based on real events, falls into the category of truth is stranger than cinema. Paan Singh Tomar (Irrfan Khan) comes from the Chambal Valley (south of Delhi), a stronghold of professional bandits, or dacoits. Dacoits, he says - and the film seems to agree - are what you find in Parliament; rebels are what Chambal breeds. He joins the army, where his running talent is discovered. A champion, he quits to return to his village, where a land struggle has turned bloody. When the corrupt police and corrupt government won't help settle the matter, Paan Singh picks up a gun and embarks on a life outside the law. The film's first half has some of a sports movie's excitement, made more interesting by its details and milieu: India, the army, the competitions abroad. Given his first pair of spiked running shoes right before a race in Tokyo, he pulls them off midway through and finishes barefoot. The second half, following his outlaw career, may seem more familiar; it plays like a western (and looks like "Sholay"), with Paan Singh and his gang operating from the rocky countryside. Both halves are elevated by Mr. Khan. Without romanticizing Paan Singh, he shows his basic honesty and gives him real depth. As an actor Mr. Khan rarely does the expected. You can't take your eyes off him.