Story :
The story unspools at a stadium in Rome in the 1960s, where Milkha Singh fails to secure a medal at the Olympics. The film, mostly narrated in flashback, covers telling episodes from his childhood and live and sensitively chronicles his life - his trauma of losing his family during the Partition, his untamed youth, his joining the Indian Army and the biggest event of all, his love for race.
First he runs for an extra glass of milk, next to escape a parade, then to wear India's blazer and subsequently, he runs to get the world at his feet.
His love for race takes an important turn in 1956 Melbourne Olympics, where he is disqualified in the first round of the 400m sprint. This makes him realize that running is not as simple as it seems.
Then comes the motivation. He goes on to win several championships after that including Asiad and Commonwealth Games. But, despite holding a world title, the sprinter fails to bag a medal at the Roman Olympics. Dejected, he decides to opt out from a race in Pakistan. And from there life takes a new turn for the Sikh.
Analysis :
Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra leaves his audience spellbound with the crisp handling of the narrative. And Prasoon Joshi's flawless script add to the tale. Both Joshi and Mehra has woven a mind-blowing screen-play. And P.S Bharati's sharp edit and mind-blowing background score by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy just take the film to a different level altogether. Even the brilliant soundtrack of the movie deserves a kudos. The musical trio has no stone unturned to make the move sound-rich.
Performance :
Farhan Akhtar pulls off the most demanding role of his career with elan. The actor not only outshines himself, but also supersedes spectators expectations as the Flying Sikh. From his athletic body to hair to his body language, Farhan truly takes his skills to an all-new different level with this movie.
Sonam, in her short and sweet role, puts her best foot forward in the movie. Australian actress Rebecca Breeds plays a crucial role. Divya Dutta is top-notch as Farhan's sister. British actor Art Malik plays the role of Farhan's father with ease. Dalip Tahil, K.K. Raina, Nawab Shah, Meesha Shafi, Dev Gill, Shanta Kumar and Jabtej Singh add to the film with their stupendous performance.
Final Word:Here's a movie that commands a standing ovation! A must-watch for all who cheer for good cinema.
Bhaag Milkha Bhaag releases today, that's 12th July 2013.