Nawazuddin Siddiqui strains every sinew, and remains consistently watchable despite the shifts in tone. But even he cannot make the film soar.

Siddiqui is an amazing actor. And he’s in his element as the slightly crazed lover-husband. And though Siddiqui wears the burden of Manjhi Mountain Man lightly, as the stubborn, moody, dogged man who cut his way through a mountain over 22 years, he’s just competent. The film has a strong story, but it lacks soul. Like Mehta’s earlier attempts, this too is a mediocre attempt at telling an important story.

Manjhi is watchable purely because of this actor’s grasp of a willful, persevering personality recognised by his passion not poverty. It’s a distinction Nawaz duly delivers, if not the film.

…deserves a watch to realise what a single ‘lunatic’ can be capable of when push comes to shove. And Nawazuddin’s spellbinding acting. And, of course, if you’re wondering if watching Manjhi would be difficult, here’s quoting Dashrath from the film, “Pahar todne se mushkil hai kya (Is it tougher than breaking a mountain)?”

Manjhi tries to be many things – a biopic, a social drama, a love story, a superhero flick with bad special effects – and fails to be good at being either of them.

…is a good film but will appeal mainly to Nawazuddin’s fans. However, the film has potential to grow with word of mouth.

The main takeaway from Manjhi – The Mountain Man is that great stories don’t necessarily make great films. Or not even good films for that matter. In this case, it is the astounding true story and Nawazuddin Siddique’s acting that elevates a worn out film and makes it look average.

Manjhi might not be a great film, it is a great story. It is a story that deserves to be seen; to be known by people all across.

…could have been a film to remember for a long time but thanks to its makers, you can now wait for it to appear on TV instead of going to the hall.