Here's an anecdote related to the legendary Olympian, Milkha Singh, aka 'Flying Sikh of India', from the time when Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra was making 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag' with Farhan Akhtar.
Milkha Singh will forever be remembered as one of the greatest Indian athletes in our country's history. From winning two gold medals and one silver medal at the National Games of India to clinching four gold medals at the Commonwealth Games and winning a gold medal in the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, he made India's mark on the global stage. The iconic sprinter passed away on June 18, 2021, in Chandigarh, and since then, every year on November 20, the entire internet has been flooded with his praise.
For the uninitiated, Milkha Singh was born on November 20, 1929, in Govindpura, Punjab, British India, which is now in Pakistan. Everyone knows about Milkha Singh's inspirational life story, courtesy of the critically acclaimed filmmaker, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's biographical drama, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. The director showcased every single chapter of Milkha Singh's life on the big screen in the purest form possible. This is why biographical drama has clinched six Filmfare Awards, fourteen IIFA Awards, two National Film Awards, and many more.
Once, during a press conference, Milkha Singh opened up about his thoughts on Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's biographical drama, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. The celebrated athlete admitted that he was mesmerised by Farhan Akhtar's performance in the film. Launding Farhan for his acting performance, he said, "Farhan looks like my duplicate in the film." Not only this, he also praised Rakeysh for his skills as a filmmaker. He said:
"I became very emotional after watching certain scenes asthey reminded me of my days of struggle. Rakeysh and also the dialogues and the lyrics by Prasoon Joshi have impressed me a lot."
An interesting anecdote from the film, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag is that Milkha Singh's daughter, Sonia Sanwalka fainted on the movie's sets, when she met Farhan Akhtar. According to a report in India Today, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra revealed that when he was shooting at the National Stadium with Farhan Akhtar and his entire team, Milkha Singh's daughter, Sonia paid a visit to see how things were going on the sets.
Opening up about the same, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra revealed that they took a break when Sonia Sanwalka reached the National Stadium. Revealing the reason behind it, the filmmaker revealed that Farhan Akhtar used to take ice water therapy after training, like most athletes. At that particular moment, Farhan was resting in his tent while dipping his feet in ice water to calm down his muscles. It was when Rakeysh and Sonia, along with other members of the cast and crew, entered Farhan's tent to meet him.
The moment Sonia Sanwalka saw Farhan Akhtar in an athlete's outfit, along with his long hair and physique, it instantly reminded the young lady of her father, Milkha Singh. As per Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, when Sonia saw Farhan, she almost fainted, saying, "Oh, my God!', thinking she was seeing a younger version of her father. It was a proud moment for Farhan Akhtar to receive such a reaction from Milkha Singh's daughter. Sonia also praised Farhan personally for putting his soul into the film.
Well, there's no denying that Farhan Akhtar worked tremendously hard to replicate Milkha Singh's physique and look in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. The actor followed a strict fitness routine that helped him look like the younger version of Milkha Singh. The film is still regarded as one of the finest sports biographical dramas in the world.
What are your thoughts on Milkha Singh's daughter, Sonia's reaction to seeing Farhan Akhtar for the first time during the shooting of Bhaag Milkha Bhaag? Let us know.
Also Read: Love Story Of Milkha Singh And Nirmal Kaur: They Lived Together For 59 Years And Died In 5 Days Gap