Not only was this movie my most awaited movie, but I think we gotta admit Bollywood makes great movies on sports...well the ones where sports plays a supporting role to the main hero.
Bhaag Milkha Bhaag is a grand biopic on India's post independence sports superstar MIlkha Singh, The Flying Sikh.
What I like about the movie is the honesty of telling a story. Its not based on his achievements but what makes the man who he is in spite of the so called "lemon" that life hands you. I love when the director fools me by leading me into thoughts and emotions I didn't know or care existed. The movie begins with Milkha losing by a photo finish in Rome and then the rest is flashback. India hopes lost at winning a medal ( Rome 1960 Olympics) and thats what pretty much all of us remember of "milkha singh" ( that how we wired, we remember failures more easily, 1996 world cup was all about kambli's tears) and thats what the director does, he starts of the movie with that bitter truth and then gets into the story of what leads you to that moment. At this point you think you know how the movie ends. (all about so close, yet so far). and then 3 hours later, it hits you. Bammm!!! ...screw that loss its not about the race!!!Full marks to Rakesh Omprakash Mehra, I will always believe that there could have never been a better ending to "rang de basanti", and this guy knew his sh*p. Bhaag Milkha Bhaag was no different. A great technical director and superb editing ( Using the word "superb" for the 1st time since the 90s) .Farhan Aktar is a talent factory and Should/Could win an award for this. The connect with punjab and partition is spot on. reminded me of stories my Granddad told me about times back then. And the honor of doing push ups in front of the village to win bets. ( so that ghee scene...kinda legit... blame the punjabis)..(also for the white chick scene....blame the punjabis)...milkha riding through pakistan reminds me of the scene where Will Smith (ALI) jogs the lanes of Africa and connect with who he really is. And before you know it, the movie has gone beyond the flashback and through the present scenario (1960 olympic fail) and now everyones moving forward. Technically...Superb ( 2nd for the millennium). Flashback shifts amazingly from 3rd person perspective on situations to 1st person perspective on emotions.
Two things I didnt like about the movie, was the whole sonam kapoor part, cut that whole scene out (with her 4 lines and a random song), reduce it below 3 hours. and I wish...so badly wish, the song "Zinda" was the anthem for the movie and played more often than the other "bhaag milkha bhaag song"...(technically thats the line that scars him..why should that be the main song?)
Good time cinematically and entertaining too. Special shout-out to that character artist in the army...where do you find someone like that??...needs a mention for sure..
