I remember some time back I posted the list of my favourite actors & it contained name of Farhan Akhtar with the stalwarts like Dilip Kumar, Sanjeev Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan, Irfan Khan & Dev Anand. Some of the friends found it weird to read Farhan’s name in the list. Why I put that name in the list, the answer is in the film “Bhaag Milkha Bhhag”. I am not saying that Farhan is as great as the names I have mentioned but his performance in BMB will surely shut the mouths of his critics. What a film!!!! I just can’t get over of it. After a long time, saw someone becoming the character by totally dissolving himself. The movie starts with the Malbourne Olympics, Where Milkha loses the medal because he turn back just before the finishing line. His coach jumps in excitement & shouts to buck him up with the words, “Bhhag Milkha, Bhhag”……. But sadly these words remind Milkha about how he witnessed & escaped the massacre of his whole family except a sister at the time of partition. In the whole film, Milkha runs in race to get glory to his nation & in the process he wins the race against the deep-rooted horrifying shadows of his past. He also learns that the best way to punish the enemy is to forgive him. Biopics are like superhero movies. We know what is there in the story (as it is real-life story), what we are interested in is, How it happened? The journey of Milkha Singh from a little Punjabi boy (badly affected by Indo-Pak partition) to the best athlete In India’s history passes through so many ups & downs. From a refugee camp to becoming a street goon, from falling in love with a sweet Punjabi kudi who inspires him to be a good man to losing her, Form joining army to take part in race (For two eggs, a glass of milk & excuse from exercise) to breaking the national record at the selections (with a wounded leg), from messing things at big time (as he gets involved with the beautiful ‘Angrez kudi’ in Malbourne to deciding to break the 400 meters world record. From winning medals for his country to winning the muck hyped race in Pakistan (for him it is the race of his life, race against his past, race against all the injustice, inequality, cruelty he has to face)………. Milkha does it all. He proves that with sheer hard work & determination a man can achieve any dream, no matter how ever big the dream is. Farhan is simply fantabulous. He has left no stone unturned to be Milkha Singh, be it being a sikh with long hair, turban & beard or building an athlete’s physic or running like a champ. Sonam has a brief cameo. She does her part well. It’s a pleasure to see Pavan Malhotra gets noticed finally, as Milkha’s coach. Also, Yograj Singh (Yuvi –yuvraj singh’s dad) playing the national coach. He is the face behind Yuvraj Singh’s success in Cricket & even in his fight back against cancer. Praksh raj has also done his part well. But the magician of the film is Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra (RMP –AS he spells it ). Rakeysh has his unique style of telling the story within the story. (Examples : 1 --- Rang De Basanti is a story of goalless bunch of youth, eventually making a mark in the society by doing something big, morally wrong but emotionally justifiable. Here also, in the backdrop, rakeysh has woven the incidents of Indian Independence, superbly. 2 --- Delhi-6 A NRI young man comes to Delhi (Chandni chowk) with his grandmother in her last years. He gets involved in the dirty Hindu Muslim hatred incidences. Here, also by Ramleela in the background of the story, Rakeysh has delivered the message to kill the Ravan within first, then to attack others. BMB is the film which will make rakeysh immortal in the history of Indian cinema. I mean, who takes the risk of making a film on sportsperson? That too, not a cricketer but an athlete. That too, with an actor who is always seen in completely urban centric films, with a heroine who has to deliver a big hit yet (before Raanjhana, of course). Rakeysh has helped great athlete Milkha Singh to get the due respect, attention & honour which he truly deserves. BMB reminded me my favourite sports movie, Rocky (starring Selevster ‘Rambo’ Stelone) which is also a story of nobody becoming somebody...… Must mention Moments:- 1) Milkha Slapping himself after losing the Malbourne Olympics Race. 2) Milkha seeing all the dead bodies of the family members. If you have a heart, you will cry for sure. 3) Milkha running in the race with wounded leg (reminds me of ‘Rocky’ once again, when coach mickey says, “No pain, No gain.) 4) Milkha’s reunion with sister in refugee camp. 5) Milkha finishing two tins of ghee & doing push ups. 6) Milkha’s work out sessions shot in Ladakh, when in the background title song is being played. 7) Milkha revisiting his native when he visits Pakistan. 8) Pakistan Coach : ” Ye aap ki zindgi ki aakhri race ho sakti hai” Milkha : “daudunga bhi waise hi” 9) Finally when Pak General Ayyub Khan praises, “Maine apni zindgi me kisi ko is tarah daudate hue nahi dekha. Aap aaj daude nahi, ude hai. Duniya aaj se aap ko ‘flying sikh’ pukaregi. BMB is a must watch motivational film for all age group, specially students. Such films are answer to the age-old criticism of hindi films. “Hindi filmo me Hollywood wali baat nahi hai” & “ye film wale is desh ki yuva pidhhi ko gumrah kar rahe hai”…… “Phoonk de khud ko jwala, jwala…. Bin khud jale na hoy ujala”. A big salute to Milkha Singhs, P T Ushas, Pullela Gpoichands, Praksh Amrutrajs, praksh Padukones, Limbarams, Dhanraj Pillais & hundreds of Indian athletes, who strived & achieved success in their limited resources in the country which is madly mesmerised by a game called Cricket.
Posted on: Thu, 25 Jul 2013 16:47:41 +0000
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