Blab Entertainment
Mumbai Screening of 'A Story That Refused to Die' Brings Rare Behind-the-Scenes Footage of Irrfan Khans Paan Singh Tomar
On April 29, 2026, the Nita and Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre in Mumbai hosted a screening of the 47‑minute documentary A Story That Refused to Die, directed by Ranjeeta Kaur. The film revisits the production of Tigmanshu Dhulia’s 2012 biopic Paan Singh Tomar, in which Irrfan Khan portrayed the eponymous athlete‑turned‑bandit. The documentary was produced over a 13‑year period and incorporates rare behind‑the‑scenes footage that had been lost and later recovered.
Kaur began filming the documentary while working as a behind‑the‑scenes (BTS) cameraman on Paan Singh Tomar. According to reports, she was assigned to capture promotional material for the film by UTV. While shooting, she read the script and imagined Irrfan Khan’s voiceover. She later met director Tigmanshu Dhulia, who encouraged her to pursue the project. “I told him I could see it turning into a brilliant film,” she said. “He laughed and said Brijendra Kala would play the journalist in the final scene.”
The original Paan Singh Tomar production ran from December 2008 to 2009. The film was released on March 2, 2012, and won the National Film Award for Best Actor for Khan and the National Film Award for Best Feature Film for Dhulia. The documentary’s footage includes scenes shot in the Chambal Valley and captures moments of laughter, injury, and conversation among cast and crew. Kaur’s footage also contains an exclusive interview with Khan about his preparation for the role, which had been lost when the original hard drives were damaged.
Kaur faced several obstacles while assembling the documentary. She ran out of funding after the initial footage was shot. “When Paan Singh won the National Awards, the news came on the sets of Bullett Raja; I was doing the BTS for that film,” she recalled. “The next day, Tishu sir asked me what happened with the documentary I was making. I informed him that I had run out of funds, and his response was ‘You go ahead. I will help you complete it.’”
Despite the support, Kaur’s project suffered a second setback when the only hard drive containing the edited cut crashed. “Now I had only one cut; this was my first draft,” she explained. “I couldn’t re‑edit it.” The documentary remained unfinished for several years. In 2023, the film was finally screened at the Nita and Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, where it was well received by audiences and critics alike. The screening has sparked interest from film festivals, and the documentary is expected to appear at several international events in the coming months.
The release of A Story That Refused to Die coincides with the sixth anniversary of Irrfan Khan’s death. The documentary offers a rare glimpse into Khan’s work ethic and personality on set. “We see Irrfan alive right in front of our eyes,” a reviewer noted. “He is vibrant, funny, and at times serious, as he is shown focusing on particular scenes.”
The film’s 47‑minute runtime is shorter than Kaur had originally envisioned, but it contains the core material she gathered over the years. The documentary has been described as a quiet but determined act of preservation, keeping the legacy of Paan Singh Tomar and Khan’s performance alive for new audiences.
In summary, A Story That Refused to Die has completed a long journey from lost footage to public screening. The documentary is now on the festival circuit, and its release has renewed interest in the 2012 biopic and its key contributors. The film’s availability on streaming platforms and its potential for a DVD release remain to be announced.
Kaur began filming the documentary while working as a behind‑the‑scenes (BTS) cameraman on Paan Singh Tomar. According to reports, she was assigned to capture promotional material for the film by UTV. While shooting, she read the script and imagined Irrfan Khan’s voiceover. She later met director Tigmanshu Dhulia, who encouraged her to pursue the project. “I told him I could see it turning into a brilliant film,” she said. “He laughed and said Brijendra Kala would play the journalist in the final scene.”
The original Paan Singh Tomar production ran from December 2008 to 2009. The film was released on March 2, 2012, and won the National Film Award for Best Actor for Khan and the National Film Award for Best Feature Film for Dhulia. The documentary’s footage includes scenes shot in the Chambal Valley and captures moments of laughter, injury, and conversation among cast and crew. Kaur’s footage also contains an exclusive interview with Khan about his preparation for the role, which had been lost when the original hard drives were damaged.
Kaur faced several obstacles while assembling the documentary. She ran out of funding after the initial footage was shot. “When Paan Singh won the National Awards, the news came on the sets of Bullett Raja; I was doing the BTS for that film,” she recalled. “The next day, Tishu sir asked me what happened with the documentary I was making. I informed him that I had run out of funds, and his response was ‘You go ahead. I will help you complete it.’”
Despite the support, Kaur’s project suffered a second setback when the only hard drive containing the edited cut crashed. “Now I had only one cut; this was my first draft,” she explained. “I couldn’t re‑edit it.” The documentary remained unfinished for several years. In 2023, the film was finally screened at the Nita and Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, where it was well received by audiences and critics alike. The screening has sparked interest from film festivals, and the documentary is expected to appear at several international events in the coming months.
The release of A Story That Refused to Die coincides with the sixth anniversary of Irrfan Khan’s death. The documentary offers a rare glimpse into Khan’s work ethic and personality on set. “We see Irrfan alive right in front of our eyes,” a reviewer noted. “He is vibrant, funny, and at times serious, as he is shown focusing on particular scenes.”
The film’s 47‑minute runtime is shorter than Kaur had originally envisioned, but it contains the core material she gathered over the years. The documentary has been described as a quiet but determined act of preservation, keeping the legacy of Paan Singh Tomar and Khan’s performance alive for new audiences.
In summary, A Story That Refused to Die has completed a long journey from lost footage to public screening. The documentary is now on the festival circuit, and its release has renewed interest in the 2012 biopic and its key contributors. The film’s availability on streaming platforms and its potential for a DVD release remain to be announced.
