Carl Lewis watches Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, calls Milkha Singh

American track and field star Carl Lewis watched Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and he was so deeply moved by the biopic that he called former Olympian Milkha Singh to convey his appreciation.

Confirming the story, the film's director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra said: "Yes, Carl Lewis indeed rang up Milkha Singh after seeing the film. We all hoped Milkhaji's life-story would make an inspirational impact. But we never imagined the impact would be so widespread."

It is celebration time for the entire Bhaag Milkha Bhaag team, including Farhan Akhtar who plays the main lead in it. While Mehra's biopic on the amazing life of Milkha Singh has become an all-India success with the total collections over the weekend being Rs33.35 crore, its impact seems to resonate far beyond the Flying Sikh's homeland.

The film's co-producer Viacom 18's COO Ajit Adhare said: "This is not a film. It's a movement. Rarely do we get a film that goes beyond entertainment. Bhaag Milkha Bhaag addresses itself to that part of the individual which needs to be harnessed and tapped for a full identity to emerge. How many films can you watch with your parents and your children and just be proud to be an Indian? 

After Lagaan and Rang De Basanti, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag has that kind of an impact."

Rajnikanth & Chiranjeevi eager to watch BHAAG MILKHA BHAAG!!

Farhan Akhtar's film BHAAG MILKHA BHAAG has become the talk of the town. The audiences are completely mind boggled with the biopic.

Even the buzz in the film industry was big. So much so that, the superstars of South, Rajnikanth andChiranjeevi after watching the trailer of the film have reached out to Farhan Akhtar to express their wish to watch the film. 

BHAAG MILKHA BHAAG, which is a biopic on the Flying Sikh, the legendary athlete, comes across as a huge inspiration for people and is a must watch. 

CHECK OUT: Athlete P.T Usha watches Farhan's BHAAG MILKHA BHAAG

Farhan is very humbled and glad to know that superstars like Rajnikanth and Chiranjeevi have conveyed their yearning to watch the film. 

He is very pleased with the kind of response the film is getting and how the word of mouth has traveled even beyond B-town to the south as well. 

Spokesperson of the film 'Yes, Rajnikanth and Chiranjeevi both have reached out to us and expressed their wish to watch the film. We are overwhelmed with the fabulous response the film is getting.' 

Farhan loses his cool: Snaps when asked about this liplock!

Instead he chose to lose his cool on this one. And it was all about a lip-lock that he shared with his co-star Rebecca Beeds in his latest release.

It was at an event on Saturday when a media person asked the director-turned-actor if his recent on screen kiss had placed him in the leagues of Emraan Hashmi, tagged as Bollywood's serial kisser. An onlooker says, `Farhan was visibly miffed and snapped at the media person for asking about the kiss instead of how hard he had worked on his body to prep for the role.`

Ever since the makers started promoting the film, Farhan's 'two-year-long intense preparation' has managed to grab most of the headlines. His eight-pack abs has been almost in your face but looks like for Farhan, the adulation has not been enough. 

Apparently, a disgruntled Farhan shot back, `I have worked so hard to get the right body and prepare for the role, then why fuss over a simple kiss?`

In a bid to comfort an annoyed Farhan, his co-star Sonam Kapoor and director Rakeysh Omoprakash Mehra had to jump to his defence and pacify him. 

We don't deny Farhan must have pumped iron for his role, but then mastering the perfect kiss on screen also takes effort, no? So why be a prude? 

Box Office: 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag' sprints past Rs. 32 crore in opening weekend!!

Despite mixed reviews, director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s film Bhaag Milkha Bhaag gathered pace at the domestic box office during its first weekend run. 

The movie had Rs. 1.05 crore net from the Thursday previews to give it a decent start on Friday. The morning shows on Friday did not draw many footfalls, but the crowds came in during the evening shows. And the trend has been upward since then. The Friday collection was Rs. 8.50 crore net. Saturday saw the collection rise to Rs. 10.70 crore net. 



Sunday was still better with an estimated Rs. 12 crore. The total first weekend aggregate of the film comes out at Rs. 32.25 crore. 

The film got best audience response from Delhi and East Punjab. Even the collections from Mumbai, UP and Mysore are very good. 

Director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra is happy that the film has been accepted by the audience. 

“It's a happy sign, it gives us more latitude now to break the glass ceiling. This could be a defining moment for all of us, as storytellers, filmmakers, technicians and actors,” Mehra said at a press conference to announce the success of Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. 

The film, starring Farhan Akhtar, is the biopic of the Indian athlete Milkha Singh. It also stars Sonam Kapoor and Pawan Malhotra. 

Meanwhile, Vikramaditya Motwane’s Lootera, released the week before, rounded off its first week with 26.8 crore net. 

BHAAG MILKHA BHAAG introduces Pakistani actress Meesha

  

Pakistani model, singer and actress Meesha Shafi, who made her movie debut in Mira Nair's THE RELUCTANT FUNDAMENTALIST, will now be seen in her maiden Bollywood venture. The actress is playing a character named Perizaad, best friend to Farhan Akhtar's character of Milkha Singh in Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's BHAAG MILKHA BHAAG.Excited about her upcoming movie, Meesha says, ''Our cultural heritage and stories are so deeply rooted that it is only natural to relate to the cinema being made here. Art is definitely a universal language and just as Bollywood has a huge audience in Pakistan; Pakistani music has a vast listenership in India.'' Further, she adds, ''Both countries are doing an immense service by bridging gaps and reaching out to the people. In fact I would say that Bollywood and Pakistan have an age-old relationship.''

BHAAG MILKHA BHAAG, produced by Viacom18 Motion Pictures and ROMP Pictures, releases July 12.

‘I ran for India, not for money’ : Milkha Singh

Milkha ‘Flying Sikh’ Singh, a legend in his lifetime, who is in London to promote Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, spoke toThe Telegraph from the Bentley Hotel on Saturday morning. There were times when the 77-year-old turned rather emotional, but didn’t lose composure, patiently answering the questions.

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag was, incidentally, screened before a select group of invitees at The Mayfair’s exclusive screening room on Friday evening. “From what I could make out, it was much appreciated,” Milkha said.

The following are excerpts

Q You’ve been keeping a busy schedule in London... From the House of Lord’s to The Mayfair...

A I came for the promotional and I’ll be leaving for home on Sunday. I saw Bhaag Milkha Bhaag in its complete form, for the first time, last evening.

Was it an emotional outing?

I was in tears... Main to roh pada... Not once, but many times.

But didn’t you see the film prior to the promotions?

I did, in New Delhi, but some work remained at that point in time... I was in tears then, too, and Farhan (Akhtar), who was sitting next to me, had to lend his hanky!

What’s your take on Farhan playing Milkha Singh on screen?

(Affectionately) Farhan ne kamaal kar diya... He’s a duplicate copy and has turned in such a powerful and realistic performance. It’s almost like I’m there in person on the screen.

So, a 10 on 10 for Farhan?

Bilkul.

Your family is also in London. What did they make of Bhaag Milkha Bhaag?

They enjoyed it. Obviously, even they got emotional.

How much of the film is fact and how much of it is fiction?

I’d say almost 90 per cent is my true life story.

That’s a massive percentage...

It is, yes.

What has been most touching about the entire exercise?

That a film on my life has been made during my lifetime... It’s an honour... Even films on (Mahatma) Gandhi and Shaheed Bhagat Singh were made long after they left us. Isse jyada khushi ki baat kya ho sakti hai? The present generation has little idea, or probably none at all, of what I did... Of the hardships I endured... Of the dedication I showed... This film tells my story and, hopefully, it will inspire at least a few to bring glory to India. There’s nothing bigger than doing your country proud.

India’s become a cricket-centric nation... Were you surprised when Bollywood showed interest in making a film on you?

Actually, three-four directors approached me, wanting to make a film based on my autobiography (The Race of My Life). The decision to go with Rakyesh Omprakash Mehra was taken by my son, Jeev... He made the right choice.

What made Jeev go for Rakyesh?

Jeev’s a regular watcher of Bollywood films and Rakyesh’s (2006 superhit) Rang De Basanti left a big impression... He felt Rakyesh would do justice to my life story. He sure has.

Is finishing fourth in the 400m in the 1960 Rome Olympics still a regret?

That regret will stay as long as I’m alive... I lost out (to South Africa’s Malcolm Spence) in a photo-finish... I wasn’t destined to win... India wasn’t destined to win a medal that day... Aur kya kahen? I’d won 77 of the 80 races leading up to the Olympics and I’d been expected to win.

Twenty-four years later, in Los Angeles, you must have felt for PT Usha...

I was in the stands... It seemed as if my story was being replayed. Of course, I felt for Usha... An athlete spends years trying to win a medal at the Olympics. To come so close and, then, fail… That kills.

What separates a champion from just another athlete?

Hard work and more hard work. In my pursuit of excellence, I’d vomit blood... Blood came out with urine as well, but I never lost focus. There was no money in those days, so one was driven only by the urge to do the country proud. I ran for India, not for money.

Why is it that you remain the sole Indian male to win an athletics gold in the Commonwealth Games?

Because we don’t plan... Don’t have a vision, like the Chinese, for example.

[Three years ago, Krishna Poonia brought India’s lone gold — in discus — in the women’s category.]

As an iconic sportsman, what disappoints you the most?

There are quite a few things... Doping pains me and I’m sorry to say that coaches and doctors put the athletes on the wrong track right from the schools level... That’s the tragedy. The bigger tragedy is that they go unpunished. They have no fear. Eradicate doping and start at the schools level.

Match-fixing is also cheating...

More than the individuals, it disgraces the country... Look at the bad name India got during the recent fixing scandal involving cricketers... The injection of more money appears to have made the players more greedy and more corrupt. Shameful.

Are you anti-cricket?

Not anti-cricket, but that one sport has caused a decline in the standard of the other disciplines... I blame the media too. Cricket is shown 24x7 right through the year, why not other sport?

You became a cult figure in an era when there was no TV... How did you handle stardom?

(Laughs) I knew what my priorities were... Kept my feet on the ground... Woh bahut zaroori hota hai. I wanted to do India proud, wanted to be recognised as an achiever.

After Bhaag Milkha Bhaag is released, you could become a bigger cult figure...

If that does happen, I’ll have to thank Rakeysh, Prasoon Joshi (the scriptwriter) and Farhan... In fact, they’ve already given me a fresh lease of life... Main jaise doobara paida ho gaya hoon!

Who inspired you?

Jesse Owens (winner of four gold medals in the 1936 Berlin Olympics)... If he could overcome such heavy odds, why couldn’t I? That kept driving me.

Did you meet Owens, who’d infuriated Adolf Hitler?

During the 1972 Olympics, in Munich. He’d heard about me and said as much. We had a casual conversation.

Among the present-day athletes, who stands out?

Usain Bolt... He’s so sincere and I doubt if any other athlete puts in the same amount of work. He’s a shining example.

The last one... You lost your parents (Sampuran Singh and Chawli Bai) in the post-Partition massacres. Watching them on screen must have been tough...



Main roh pada... Look, you can’t change history, no matter how painful... You endure the pain

Milkha Singh jets off to London!

Legendary athlete Milkha Singh will be leaving for London today for the premiere of 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag', the film which is based on his sprinting career. He will be accompanied byFarhan Akhtar and Sonam Kapoor, as well as director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra.

Talking exclusively to TOI, Milkha said, "There's a special screening of the film in London. Farhan insisted that I join them. He said I have many fans there who want to see me in person. So I decided to join them."

Meanwhile, Milkha has given his wholesome approval to the film. "I saw the film in Delhi. I have no objections to any portions in it. I think it's a film that will inspire many youngsters," Milkha said, rather confidently.

But did he have any reservations on seeing Farhan, who plays Milkha's on screen persona, kissing Australian actress Rebecca Breeds? "No. It's okay. Times have changed. The film has to deal with today's audience. Moreover which youngster does not kiss at some point or the other in his youth?" he laughingly added.

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag music review: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy render a winning soundtrack!

Music: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Lyrics: Prasoon Joshi
Singers: Siddharth Mahadevan, Sukhwinder Singh, Divya Kumar, Javed Bashir, Shreya Ghoshal, Shankar Mahadevan, Loy Mendonsa

Music directors Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy haven’t come up with a memorable album for a long time now. Their last hit soundtrack was Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara in 2011. And Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s biopic Bhaag Milkha Bhaag seems to be a good opportunity for the trio to get back into the game.

The album starts with a short and soulful Gurbani sung by Daler Mehndi, which gets you into the perfect mood for the other songs.

Attention quickly shifts to the high energy number Zinda. Sung by Shankar Mahadevan’s son Siddharth Mahadevan, this rock number is forceful and catchy. Siddharth has a fresh, promising voice, and we wouldn’t be surprised if he sang loads of playback numbers in the coming days – a worthy heir to his father’s crown, perhaps.

Mere yaar is a guitar melody with Punjabi beats and lyrics that give it a very warm flavour. Javed Bashir’s voice is strong and appropriate for this rustic love song.

Maston ka jhund is definitely better than a lot of bhangra numbers that are heard these days. It’s a situational and fun song sung by Divya Kumar, and despite the use of western instruments like guitar and drums, it retains its earthiness.

Sung by Shreya Ghoshal and Javed Bashir, O rangrez is a semi-classical love song. It’s the best composition on this album – the tabla, harmonium and violin harmony is especially beautiful.

Slow motion angreza is essentially a country song – the English portions are sung by Loy Mendonsa and the Hindi parts are sung by Sukhwinder Singh. It’s a sweetly retro composition, very different from anything we’ve heard in the recent past. Kudos to the trio for coming up with a fusion track of this kind!

Bhaag Milkha bhaag rock version is catchy, fast-paced and easy on the ear. Singer Siddharth Mahadevan shows that he has the range to pull off a high-voltage number like this one. The lyrics by Prasoon Joshi are inspirational – phook de khud ko jwala jwala, bin jale na hove ujala, lapat hai aag Milkha.

The songs of Bhaag Milkha Bhaag are situational and go perfectly with the milieu of the film. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy have definitely come up with a winning soundtrack for this biopic on champion athlete Milkha Singh.

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag official trailer | Farhan Akhtar | Sonam Kapoor |

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (English: Run Milkha Run) is an upcoming Indian biographical, sports film on the former Indian athlete Milkha Singh. The film is being produced and directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. The script is written by Prasoon Joshi. The film stars Farhan Akhtar, Sonam Kapoorand Meesha Shafi. Milkha Singh sold the story for just one rupee. The remuneration from the film will be used for the benefit of needy athletes. The name of the film comes from the last words spoken by his father, which was to save his life during the riots of Partition of India. During the partition, Singh lost his family members. The story talks about his perseverance as an athlete and also as a courageous human spirit.




WATCH THE TRAILER BELOW:

Amitabh Bachchan And Shahrukh Khan Join Hands For Farhan Akhtar’s ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra is leaving no stone un-turned for his upcoming ambitious movie, “Bhaag Milkha Bhaag,” a biopic on Indian athlete, Milkha Singh. The latest buzz is that he has roped in two of the biggest names in Bollywood – Shahrukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan for a song. The two biggies will appear in a promotional video, as a part of the marketing strategy for the movie.

Well, the news does not come as a surprise as the two actors share a good rapport with Farhan Akhtar, the leading star of “Bhaag Milkha Bhaag.” In fact, SRK had recently shot an ad to facilitate Farhan’s MARD campaign.

Farhan’s look for the movie has already received thumbs-up from media and fans. Following the strict regime of runners, he has worked immensely hard for his lean sportsman look.

“Bhaag Milkha Bhaag” also features Sonam Kapoor and is slated for a July 2013 release.