Really?

Rating: 6/10 (15 July 2013)

It's a confused film at its very best. Scratching only the surface of the many themes and characters that are part of it. What grants it grace is its music Zinda and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag have an absolutely uplifting effect. Each 'Aho' uttered by Farhan was hurting my ears and hisPunjabi was generally painful almost as much as the juvenile "Relax Singh" joke. Milkha's angst with his past could have provided the requisite tension to the film. But what is a true blue Hindi film without a villain, so we have Pakistan and its menacing athlete with a twirled mustache and nasty prick for a coach. Milkha Singh and his coach on the other hand are simple loving creatures. You can sit through the film (3 hours), enjoy it even and still come out at the end to realize the only characters that are etched out well are those played by Divya Dutta (Milkha's sister), Pavan Malhotra (First Coach), Art Mallik (Milkha's father). Jabtej Singh Singh as young Milkha was heartbreakingly good and streets ahead of the fumbling mumbling performance of the senior. The credibility of bringing depth here too lies with the performers; it is not as though the film makers went the extra length for any of the characters. Why was Sonam Kappor in the film at all?
Unwittingly, one is drawn towards making a comparison between this and Pan Singh Tomar. While being poles apart in terms of the larger treatment and of course the story line, there are common threads. The track, the army and humble beginnings being a few, but this film definitely lost its way somewhere. Me thinks Farhan wanted to run and flaunt what many might consider a gorgeous body. Om Prakash Mehra wanted to make a film about athletics. And they've dealt with the film with just about as much depth. We are none wiser about the kind of man Milkha Singh was nor is it clear where his motivation stems from.
Shankar Ehsaan Loy were part of the graces and the title track made me wish that it was made during the time that Milkha Singh was active on the track. The sheer power of hearing such a track would have got him a couple of more golds!