A reporter interviews Paan Singh Tomar (Irrfan Khan), a dacoit who is in the news for killing nine people of a community. Answering questions about himself, the story goes in a flashback from the year 1950. Paan Singh works in the Indian Army while his wife and mother live in Morena. He surprises his seniors in the Army with his athletic skills. Though he was not interested in sports, he joins the sports division because there were no limits on their diet. Picked for the 5000 metres race's training, he was persuaded to run for the 3000 metre Steeplechase (athletics) by his coach. He participates in the National Games of India and wins the gold medal in the steeplechase event 7 years in a row. In 1958, he participates in the Asian Games at Tokyo, but couldn't win because of his inability to adjust with the track spikes only given to him in the final event. He felt frustrated when he was not allowed to go the borders to fight in the Sino-Indian War and Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 wars because sportsmen were not allowed to fight in them. In 1967, he participated in the Military World Games and wins the gold medal in the steeplechase.