Milkha Singh is one of India’s few legendary track and field athletes. “Bhaag Milkha Bhaag”, directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, brings his fascinating story to life. Based on Milkha’s autobiography, “The Race of My Life”, writer Prasoon Joshi artfully weaves flashbacks of Milkha’s tragic childhood into the story of his adult triumphs and failures.
Milkha was born sometime in the 1930s when India was still under British rule. In his early childhood, he was a member of a large Sikh family and had a special relationship with his older sister, Ishvar. Life, as he knew it, ended when he was orphaned during the brutal Partition of India and Pakistan in 1947.
He was only ten or twelve years old when he made his way to Delhi, India with tens of thousands of other refugees. In a refugee camp, Milkha was joyfully reunited with his sister. Soon trouble arose between Milkha and Ishvar’s husband, causing him to live on his own. Deeply wounded and rebellious, he starts hanging out with a gang of troubled kids. They survived by stealing coal from trains and selling it.
As a young man, he fell in love with a local village girl, Biro; but, Biro didn’t want to marry a thief. Milkha vowed to change his life if she would wait for him. Finding it difficult to get a job, he enlisted in the Indian Army in 1951. His sergeant was looking for athletes to compete in a cross-country race to determine if any had the talent to represent India in the Olympics. The prize was a daily cup of milk and two eggs, and relief from regular duty to train as a runner. Milkha won. A few short years later, with an incredible amount of hard work and dedication, he would set records and win medals for India. Acknowledging Milkha’s great accomplishments, Pakistan’s President Ayub Khan gave him the nickname the “Flying Sikh” in 1962.
Farhan Ahktar brings Milkha to life with a vibrant, and soulful performance. It is hard not to be impressed by Farhan’s physical transformation into a world-class runner. His portrayal of the punishment and determination it takes to excel is totally believable. Farhan’s infectious smile, as well as his innocence and wonder upon being introduced to the wider world, serve to bring us deeper into Milkha’s character.
Sonam Kapoor, as Biro, is simple and lovely as an innocent village girl who falls in love with the charming Milkha. Divya Dutta, Milkha’s older sister Ishvar, is protective of him in his youth, and so proud of what he becomes as a man. A comical Prakash Raj, as Milkha’s army drill instructor, and Yograj Singh as Milkha’s demanding Olympic coach, Ranveer Singh, were also well cast.
Special mention should be given to actor Pavan Malhotra, Milkha’s coach when he first entered the Indian Army. Coach Gurudev Singh was the first to discovered Milkha’s talent. Pavan’s performance was filled with passion and love. Another special mention is a surprising performance was given by Jabtej Singh as young Milkha. Jahtej, who physically resembles Farhan, ably shows joy, rebellion, and fear to fit each situation.
The music and background score by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy varied from rock to country to Punjabi, depending on the mood of the scene. Starting with Milkha’s greatest defeat in the Rome Olympics of 1960, and ending with his greatest triumph, director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra brings us a well-told and inspiring story filled with emotion, heartbreak, determination and patriotism.
“Bhaag Milkha Bhaag” won many awards in the year 2013, including Filmfare Awards for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Lyrics, Best Costume, and Best Production Design. It also won India’s National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment and Best Choreography.
