Dev Patel plays a natural at mathematics in The Man Who Knew Infinity (2016, UK).

The Man Who Knew Infinity is a true story and stars Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire, Lion) and Jeremy Irons (The Mission, Reversal of Fortune).

A natural

Srinivasa Ramanujan, played by Patel, is an inspiration. Working on mathematics comes easy and natural to him.

He needs a university to patronize and publish his mathematical work.  Trinity College professor G. H Hardy (Irons) will take Ramanujan on because his work is fascinating and groundbreaking.

Ramanujan has had no formal training. Ramanujan leaves behind his wife and family in Madras for Trinity.

Proof

Professor Hardy tells Ramanujan that his work alone would not get published. His insights and intuition into mathematics is not enough to win him a publishing contract.

Hardy requires proof for Ramanujan’s intuition before Ramanujan’s work will be accepted. Proof would back up Ramanujan’s intuition and win him the publishing contract.

He comes to a university and must abide by its rules. But his intuitive mathematics rubs up and even clashes against Professor Hardy’s rationalism.

Connecting with an atheist

However, Professor Hardy is witness to a mathematical genius.

If Ramanujan comes up with formulaic proof of his intuitive sense, this may be the thing to arouse a sense of faith and belief in Hardy.

Ramanujan’s natural genius, more intuition than rational, but when melding with logic, may enlighten Hardy’s atheistic but searching heart, who needs the rational side to connect with the spiritual.

Dev Patel and Jeremy Irons in complimentary roles are both very good in this absorbing, touching drama. It is about the heart as well as the head.

Notes:

The Man Who Knew Infinity is based on the book of the same name by Robert Kanigel. The director is Matthew Brown. The film is PG-13 and contains smoking in some scenes and themes are intended for adults. The Man Who Knew Infinity was released to DVD in North America on August 23, 2016.