• It’s predictably told but heartfelt…and thought-provoking to boot. Not a bad way to spend two hours.

  • Shubhra Gupta
    Shubhra Gupta
    Indian Express

    6

    …there’s enough zest in the warp and weft of the film, to keep us engaged. It has a welcome sense of pace and place with the use of authentic-sounding Oriya lines being kept at a minimum which is much better than everyone fumbling over the accent.

  • Rohit Vats
    Rohit Vats
    Hindustan Times

    8

    Despite dramatic crests and troughs, Budhia Singh – Born To Run is true to the original story.
    At 111-minutes, Budhia Singh – Born To Run doesn’t give us any dull moments. It’s a fantastic relationship drama in the disguise of a tout thriller.

  • Arnab Banerjee
    Arnab Banerjee
    Deccan Chronicle

    6

    Though the film conforms to the rules of sports movies quite often, and has its share of embellishments and formulaic tangents too, it never succumbs to sports-movie formulas, rather, it manages to transcend the genre, only because it sticks to honestly telling a true story — so narratively compelling and enthralling the film is. It’s a film that has lots of heart… Go watch it!

  • Budhia Singh: Born To Run is not so much a film as it is a passionate appeal to remind and regain an opportunity for Odisha’s erstwhile Wonder Boy, now a forgotten teenager…

  • The film celebrates an improbable dream and mourns its untimely death, both with infectious passion, and ends with a fervent appeal on a behalf of a social media campaign to put Budhia back in his running shoes. Not a bad idea at all.

    Overall, Budhia Singh – Born to Run is worth running all the way to the nearest multiplex for.

  • Renuka Vyavahare
    Renuka Vyavahare
    Times Of India

    8

    Engrossing from start to finish, Soumendra Padhi deserves a standing ovation for bringing this rollercoaster journey of a child prodigy and his ambitious mentor to celluloid.

  • …an honest and sincere attempt at a sports biopic – a rarity in Bollywood, which tends towards melodrama and obscures reality even when it comes to telling real-life stories. For that alone, Padhi’s effort is commendable.

  • The story of Odisha’s wonder boy and his coach Biranchi Das needs to be heard. As a sports drama or a biopic, this one hits the right nerve.

  • Devarsi Ghosh
    Devarsi Ghosh
    India Today

    7

    Budhia Singh – Born To Run should be watched. It is well-made with its heart in the right place. Good performances, a pleasing story, a national hero angle (Like Airlift, Neerja, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag) – what more do you want?

  • …despite winning a national award and being a good film, has less awareness due to poor publicity and lesser star value. Due to this, BUDHIA SINGH – BORN TO RUN will face an uphill task at the box office. Overall, the film will have to rely heavily on word of mouth and strong audience support to post good box office figures. But if you are in the mood to watch an inspirational tale of human spirit, endurance and sacrifice, do watch this one.

  • Rachit Gupta
    Rachit Gupta
    Filmfare

    9

    …does not have the thrills and gimmicks to draw big numbers. But that’s exactly what the film deserves. The stupendous storytelling of this film deserves a lot more than 100 crores. Just like it’s protagonist in real-life, it needs a fighting chance. To run itself onto glory.

  • Suprateek Chatterjee
    Suprateek Chatterjee
    HuffingtonPost.in

    -

    This is a story so fantastical that it’s hard to believe it really happened, which makes it an excellent subject for a feature film. Padhi, to some extent, succeeds in crafting an engaging narrative, albeit with the most predictable of devices.

  • Subhash K Jha
    Subhash K Jha
    SKJBollywoodNews

    8

    Extraordinary in ever sense this is a story that had to be told. Just as every Budhia needs a Biranchi Das , every story of an unsung hero needs a filmmaker with a dispassionate vision. Budhia Singh—Born To Run should be granted a tax exemption in every Indian state.

  • Manisha Lakhe
    Manisha Lakhe
    NowRunning

    6

    When a coach trains a five year old against all logic, is it for self publicity or has he really saved the boy from abject poverty and slavery? Does the government have any right over a young sportsperson’s need to run or did they do a right thing? This movie tackles all this and more by telling us the story of a five year old marathon runner Budhia Singh and his devoted coach Birinchi Das. Will shake you up.

  • Stutee Ghosh
    Stutee Ghosh
    TheQuint

    -

    Except for a few good films, when a biopic meets Bollywood the end product is ususally not great, but that isn’t the case with this film. The heart of the film lies in the beautifully crafted relationship between Budhia played by little Mayur Patole and his coach played by Manoj Bajpai. So in all, this movie grasps your attention from start till the end. If you’re looking for a moving watch, Budhia Singh-Born To Run seems like the apt choice.

  • IANS
    IANS
    Zee News

    8

    Extraordinary in ever sense, this is a story that had to be told. Just as every Budhia needs a Biranchi Das, every story of an unsung hero needs a filmmaker with a dispassionate vision.

    “Budhia Singh – Born To Run” should be granted a tax exemption in every Indian state.

  • Tania Rana
    Tania Rana
    BookMyShow

    -

    You should watch Budhia Singh – Born to Run to know the story of a five-year old whose dreams we quashed. Maybe not you and I, but India as a country, and as a system that has failed one of its own. Watch Budhia Singh’s incomplete story, as he still waits for his Olympic dream.

  • Bollywood Life
    Bollywood Life
    Bollywood Life

    5

    The plot is very basic. It isn’t a perfect film. Budhia Singh-Born To Run is an emotional film that highlights the story of a young boy whose story has been long forgotten. It is a story that deserves to be told!

  • IANS
    IANS
    Sify

    8

    Overall, the film with all minor misgivings, is a candid and honest tribute to a talent we have cast off.

  • Kunal Guha
    Kunal Guha
    Mumbai Mirror

    6

    Despite being a film pegged on fighting over all odds, this one works not just as an inspirational watch, but for being an impression of the despicable state of affairs governing sports today. Sprint to a multiplex near you.

  • Namrata Joshi
    Namrata Joshi
    The Hindu

    -

    ‘Budhia Singh’ manages to break away from a whole lot of principle arcs and formulae.

  • Born To Run fits the bill of the average sports biopic, but it rises a few notches above the Indian version of the genre. The 111-minute movie might have benefited from fewer montages of Budhia panting over asphalt and less pantomime performances by the government employees (played by Chhaya Kadam and Gajraj Rao). This sports biopic wants to be black and white, but it’s actually a nice shade of grey.

  • Prithviraj Dev
    Prithviraj Dev
    TheStatesman

    6

    Overall, a fairly decent watch, and not just for the bachelors who love their sports, but a family entertainer, albeit of a different kind.