“I want a youngster to bring the gold medal I missed” – Milkha Singh

By Subhash K. Jha -

July 18, 2013 - 11:18 AM IST

India's fastest runner, the legendary Milkha Singh is again running very fast, this time at the box office. The bio-pic on his life Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (BMB) has created a global stir.

The simple-hearted legendary athlete cannot hide his asli glee at the turn of events. Speaking from Chandigarh, Milkhaji says, "My phone has not stopped ringing ever since the film released. I am getting hundreds of calls from all over the world. Believe me; I am only on the phone receiving congratulatory calls the whole day. Badhaai pe badhaai aaye jaa rahi hai."

“I want a youngster to bring the gold medal I missed” – Milkha Singh

The most surprising call that Milkha Singh got was from American sprinter Carl Lewis. "Yes, Carl Lewis called me. He saw my film and was very moved. He couldn't follow the Hindi dialogues. But he was accompanied by an Indian friend who explained the dialogues to him. He is a world-acknowledged runner and has won gold medals in the Olympics. He is one of the greatest sprinters in the world. He wants to send me a gift of appreciation. I told him there was no need for that. I am just too overwhelmed. There are long queues at cinema halls to see my film. "

Says the jubilant runner, "The entire credit for the film's success must go the director Rakeysh Mehra, the writer Prasoon Joshi , the editor P S Bharathi, to Farhan Akhtar for playing me with such conviction, to Divya Dutta for bringing my sister's role alive and to Viacom 18 for co-producing the film with Rakeysh. If it wasn't for the entire team and their belief in the project, my story would not have been told so persuasively. So many athletes have come and gone unsung. I think I am very fortunate."

The fact that BMB is serving an inspirational purpose among the youth is what is most heartening to Milkha Singh. "The message that if you try you can be another Milkha, is very strongly put across in the film. I wanted youngsters in our country and all over the world to be so moved by my story of struggle that they are inspired into doing something worthwhile with their lives. And that's exactly what's happening. All those who have seen the film have come out weeping. It's not just sportsmen who are connecting with my story. Even businessmen or any other professional take the message that the only route to success is hard work and willpower. When I saw the film for the first time, I couldn't believe they had done such a fine job of putting my life into a 3-hour film."

Milkhaji is bowled over by Farhan Akhtar's performance. "He is exactly how I wanted to see myself on screen. And full credit must go to Rakeysh Mehra for seeing me in Farhan. The truth is many other actors wanted to play Milkha Singh. But the boy (Farhan) has done kamaal. He has replicated me on screen. Like I said he even resembles me. The body language and the discipline Farhan adopted to play me... yeh koi maamooli baat nahin hai."

Milkhaji admits that the entire story of his life is not represented in BMB. "If they had taken all the incidents from my life the film would have been at least 10 hours long."

Milkhaji credits his son ace-golfer Jeev Singh for encouraging the project. "I have no idea about movies and the film industry. I haven't seen any film since 1960. My son who watches a film every day was most impressed by Rakeysh Mehra's Rang De Basanti. Jeev told me if I have to let my story go on film it must be done by Rakeysh Mehra. Before Rakeysh 3-4 directors had approached me with the offer to do a film on me. They even offered me substantial amounts of money. But I opted to let Rakeysh Mehra to tell my story."

Milkha Singh took just a token fee of Re.1 for BMB. However it was decided between Milkhaji and the film's team that if the film makes profits some of it would go into the Milkha Singh Charity Trust.

Says Milkha, "We distribute medicines to the poor, encourage promising athletes and help retired sportsmen. In our country sportspersons are given no financial succor. I have personally seen so much poverty and hardship. Believe me, the film shows only 20 percent of my suffering. They couldn't show all the pain to be shown. Even a 10-hour film won't do justice to my complete story. Prasoon Joshi has suggested another film. I've told him let's wait to see how far BMB goes."

Milkha Singh now has one unfulfilled wish. "The gold medal that slipped out of my hand in the Rome Olympics must come to us. Before I leave this world I want one Indian youngster to go get that medal for our country. That's my last wish."