BHAAG MILKHA BHAAG ("OVER INDULGENCE KILLS")

July 12, 2013

Cast: Farhan Akthar, Sonam Kapoor.

Director: Rakesyh Omprakash Mehra.

For the last few months a particular trailer has been revving up excitement amongst all Indians promising to deliver a fiery adventure full of fast paced action; and that is the trailer of Bhaag Milkha Bhaag!

But the moment you see the Censor Board certificate of Bhaag Milkha Bhaag with 187 minutes runtime, the first sensation of doubt and anxiety strikes you. Your doubts start getting solidified once the film starts rolling and a few minutes into it you would bid adieu to all that hope of a fast paced thriller. Inspite of being a person who enjoys serious drama, I found myself checking the time every now and then.

Bhaag Milkha starts off very promisingly enough with the 1960 Rome Olympics race where Milkha Singh finishes fourth. But after that bit by bit boredom creeps in when Mehra starts showing signs of over indulgence bringing in a barrage of details; way too many details! The unnecessary songs in the already long film add fuel to the fire!

The inclusion of various flings of Milkha (some which might have been necessary for the film) coupled with the songs for each of those flings do nothing other than adding to the length of the film. Same is the case with the real footage of the various Olympic meets and the extra long depiction of his childhood, notwithstanding the fact that it is a director simply trying to be earnest in his portrayal.

When it is a biopic it is understandable to include as many details as possible to portray a correct picture, but then there is also a few parameters that determine the intensity of a film, something which Mehra seems to have utterly missed in his effort to come up with an epic, and the end result is a stretched out film with bits and pieces of inspiration!

If there are two reasons why you should watch Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, they are Farhan Akthar and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and the sheer effort they have put in for achieving perfection. Farhan Akthar sizzles as the inspiring Milkha, who would have been one of the greatest icons in Bollywood if not for the ultra long screenplay. Divya Dutta and Pavan Malhotra play their parts very well offering support to Milkha.

Visually spectacular, Bhaag Milkha has the trademark Mehra slo mo shots in a song, the likes of which you have seen in Rang de Basanti’s “Khalbali”. The BGM is more like an ECG offering some really innovative tunes at times and very clichéd ones otherwise.

The moments in the film involving training and athletic meets are nothing short of fabulous and Mehra has to be really appreciated for such splendid execution, something that is a rarity in Hindi Cinema where you always require masala no matter what!

This film could have been an epic if Mehra had seen it from a third party’s perspective, something that would have gone a really long way in limiting the over indulgence.

I am giving a 3/5 for Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. Watch it for Farhan Akthar and the sheer honesty and efforts involved in it’s execution. If you are patient enough and you will be rewarded with some really exciting races.

Rating Scale (Out of 5)

Less than 2                   -           Unwatchable.

2    to 2.25                   -           Below average.

2.5 to 2.75                   -           Average.

       

3    to 3.25                   -           Good.

3.5 to 3.75                   -           Really Good.

4    to 4.25                   -           Great.

4.5 and above               -          Extraordinary.