Just a few hours of screen time isn’t enough to portray an ordinary man’s life, leave alone a living legend like ‘Milkha Singh’. So, it is upto the filmmakers to decide which passages to make it to the final cut, to bring in their perspective.
In the case of ‘Bhaag Milkha Baag’ Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra-Prasoon Joshi choose to dwell more on why he ‘bhaag’s rather than what happens when he does ‘bhaag’.
While there are a few very well conceived sprinting scenes, it is the portrayal of the inner turmoil of Milkha that takes most of the screen time, or rather it appears that way. The world within of Milkha dominates throughout the movie while you crave for his external battles and triumphs. And, at every opportunity to do so, the film makers decide to abruptly shift the scene, leaving those moments half cooked. Yes, one would love to know how a hero reconciled with his horrific past, but one definitely like to see more of this hero as himself and that too in action. With a 3hours plus movie length, it would not have been an impossible feat.
What works in favor of the film is the lead actor. Right from the very first minute of his appearance on the screen, Farhan Akhtar holds your attention. His transformation from a gawky wannabe to an elegant professional, is remarkable. Everyone in the theatre would have gasped when he runs for the first time without shoes and cheered when he makes it to the Indian team. Finally, when he walks into his sister’s house in the Indian team’s jacket, you are looking at Milkha Singh and not Farhan Akhtar. Even as the movie meanders with flash backs and tests your patience, it is the expectation of Farhan’s return that holds you to the seat.
The movie is a must watch for Farhan Akhtar and him alone. But one has to be prepared for the several pit stops aka flash backs, and wait patiently for the writer-director to put Milkha back on track.
