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Time of India
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Exclusive: Stories like Bhaag Milkha Bhaag don't fade, they mature with time, says Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra
Director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra As Bhaag Milkha Bhaag turns 12, director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra looks back at the film's journey, relevance and longevity in an exclusive conversation with Bombay Times. 'I grew up in Delhi idolising Milkha Singh, Dara Singh and Dhyan Chand. They were our Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli. Milkhaji didn't have shoes at one point, so he ran barefoot. I identified with it because our whole generation grew up without having proper facilities' What makes Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (BMB) relevant even today? Some stories don't fade out. They mature with time. Samay ke saath aur gaadha ho jata hai. Bhaag Milkha Bhaag is one of them. The story is timeless not topical, so it does not lose its relevance with time. I always wanted to tell a story weaved around the partition of the country and in Milkha Singh's biography, I found that. Besides being the first biopic made on a sportsman in our country, there were two tracks in the film. One was Milkha Singh's journey, and the other was one of the most seminal point in modern Indian history -- the partition of India. The plot and the character are intertwined in each other. They coexist because of each other. I am glad it's re-releasing in theatres on August 8. Certain films are meant for the big screen. We should develop a culture of revisiting our classics. Not just for business, but legacy. That's more important for me. Why did you want to tell a story that was woven around the Partition? The partition is a seminal point because millions were celebrating the independence of the country, and millions were suffering the partition. I was born in the 60s. I grew up listening to both horrific and beautiful stories of partition. They left an indelible mark on me. When I entered college, we shifted to a colony in Delhi which was given to refugees of partition, and they rebuilt their lives from scratch there. Everybody had come from Pakistan there. I used to hear their stories of how they loved their land. Vatan aur desh mein farak hota hai (sentimentally). A Sindhi will consider Sindh as his land. A Punjabi will consider Punjab as his vatan and three-fourth of Punjab is in Pakistan. Borderline politics is another thing. I see myself through the lens of human beings. I don't see it from the lens of aaj kal kya ho raha hai, log kya soch rahe hain. I am drawn to common man. Ek aam aadmi kya kar raha hai, kya soch raha hai, uske sukh-dukh kya hai. What moves them is very important for me. As a filmmaker, you get to choose your gaze and mine is human. Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and Farhan Akhtar on set of Bhaag Milkha Bhaag While the story belongs to Milkha Singh, it also resonates with your past. Tell us about that. It is a story of have-nots. Milkha had nothing to lose. When you don't come from privilege and you make it, that resonates with me a lot. I grew up in Delhi. I used to swim and play cricket in the National Stadium. Before my time, Milkha Singh, Dara Singh and Dhyan Chand used to practise there. We grew up on these three names. They were our Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli. Milkhaji didn't have shoes at one point and ran barefoot. We all identified with it because our entire generation grew up without having proper facilities. I come from a lower middle-class family. I could relate to characters who were thrilled when they got to wear a Team India blazer like Milkhaji did. He won his first race for a glass of milk and two eggs. He didn't win to make a world record or become a great athlete. I have practiced swimming because at the end of the practice section, we would get a glass of warm milk with Horlicks and two boiled eggs. It was great breakfast and that too for free. This is everybody's story in India. The late Milkha Singh on sets of Bhaag Milkha Bhaag At three hours and six minutes, the film's duration was much talked about. In hindsight, would you make any changes in terms of length or otherwise? It was a difficult story to mount because everyone said where is the romance, hero is just running. Where is the action? Athletics kaun dekhta hai India mein? Saare sawaal sahi thay. But it was important for me to prove the detractors wrong. If I didn't believe in what I made, I wouldn't make it in the first place. Pacing derives its essence from the story and how it is told. A length of the film is the length that works. A two-hour film can feel long and a three-and-a-half-hour film, can seem perfect. Look at the modern-day epics like Avatar, Oppenheimer, Brutalist (3 hours, 34 minutes). Lagaan, was longer than these at 3 hours and 44 minutes. When you're enjoying a movie, you are completely lost in that world and time flies. This whole length concern came from distribution. It never came from the audience or critics. It was a distribution thing because they believed they could pack one more show if a film is shorter. Longer films mean lesser shows and perhaps lesser business, but they are totally mistaken. All these films including Milkha dismissed that notion. Director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, still from Bhaag Milkha Bhaag The casting of the film was one of its highlights. Take us through that process. If you cast the right actor for the right job, that's half the battle won. Every journalist has asked me if Farhan Akhtar was my first choice to play Milkha. He was the right choice. Let me put it like that. His eyes reminded me of Milka sir. They have the same intensity and depth, the way he looks at you. Farhan doesn't have many lines in the film because his eyes speak. We bumped into the club almost every day. I knew he's an athlete. He's good on the treadmill. He's good at sports. He's kept himself fit. So, the getting into shape part I knew he will cross the bridge. It was painful for him to go through that body transformation process in 18 months, but pain is a part of sports. Rishabh Pant met with an accident. He was out of action for a year. Look at the way he's bounced back. It's not a miracle. It's a story of inspiration and determination. When you're playing a character like Milkha, something intangible happens to you. Farhan didn't play the role. He became the part which is my brief to all my actors. Don't play yourself. Play the part. 'Sonam only charged Rs11 for Bhaag Milkha Bhaag' 'When I approached Sonam Kapoor , I clearly told her she would appear for 15 minutes. Her character changes Milkha's life by making him question his choices. I told her she won't appear later in the film, and I don't know if she will appear in the trailer or the poster. She heard me out and said the film must be made, and she will charge me a bomb for it. I told her bata dena fees, koshish karenge. Her contract came, and she had only charged me `11 as a shagun. She brought so much dignity to the part. '
Time of India
08-06-2025
- Time of India
Lorry driver killed in collision on NICE Road
Jnanabharathi Traffic Police Rajarajeshwari Hospital Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita A 24-year-old tipper lorry driver lost his life in an accident around 3.30 am on NICE Road near Hill Rock School under theStation to the police, Brijesh Kushwaha was driving a tipper lorry from Mysore Road towards Magadi Road at a high speed, when he rammed into the rear of another lorry moving ahead of collision caused significant damage to the front of Brijesh's vehicle, and he sustained severe bleeding injuries. He was immediately rushed to, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.A case has been registered under Section 281 and 106(1) of the(BNS). Police have begun an investigation into the circumstances leading to the have urged heavy vehicle drivers to exercise caution, especially during early morning hours when visibility is low and fatigue can contribute to fatal errors. -BMB
Zawya
18-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Alan Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Agthia Group, shares insights
Alan Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Agthia Group, shares insights, highlighting the group's financial performance for the first quarter of 2025. Agthia Group PJSC - one of the region's leading food and beverage companies, today announced a resilient first-quarter performance, with underlying Group revenue growing by 5.2% year-on-year when excluding the impact of non-recurring factors such as last year's one-off wheat trading activity and the devaluation of the Egyptian pound. This underlying growth highlights the strength and resilience of Agthia's core business amidst a dynamic operating environment. Despite short-term pressure, Agthia continues to invest in its future allocating AED 25.1 million to capex and AED 129.2 million to increase its stake in Abu Auf raising its share from 70% to 80%, deepening vertical integration in the snacking segment. In May 2025, Agthia strengthened its leadership in the UAE water market through the strategic acquisition of Riviere, a prominent player in home water delivery segment. This milestone move significantly expands our household customer base tripling our reach and deepens our market penetration in a key growth category. said Smith. In this regard, Alan Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Agthia Group, stated: 'we continue to see strong performance across key verticals. BMB delivered a solid 8.4% growth in revenue, driven by rising exports to the United States and continued consumer demand for its premium snack portfolio. Abu Auf also maintained its growth trajectory, recording a 4.3% revenue increase in AED terms; however, the devaluation of the Egyptian Pound significantly impacted the reported figure, which in local currency terms stood at a notable 48.9%. Excluding the one-off wheat trading activity in Q1 2024, our Agri-Business delivered a solid underlying performance, achieving revenue growth of 2.9%. The Water and Food segment remained a core contributor, growing 10.6% year-on-year. Within the UAE, water revenues increased by 6.1%, while our international water portfolio showed strong momentum particularly in Turkey, which grew by 9.9%, and Saudi Arabia, where we achieved 4.8% growth. Meanwhile, the Protein segment saw a 15.7% decline in revenue due to continued pressure in the Egyptian market and a temporary slowdown in export sales from Nabil in Jordan. This was partially offset by the growth coming from our new protein facility in Saudi Arabia, which commenced operations in July 2024. Our combined operations, comprising Nabil export from Jordan and our new facility in KSA, delivered a robust 17.2% sales growth within the Kingdom, underscoring the strategic importance of our expansion in this key regional market.' And commenting on how the US tarrifs would affect Agthia's operation Smith said: While Agthia's direct exposure to the U.S. market remains limited accounting for approximately 1% of our total revenue ongoing trade protectionist measures, particularly tariffs on essential commodities, may pose indirect challenges to global supply chains. As a diversified group operating across multiple segments and geographies, we remain vigilant in monitoring global trade dynamics to proactively address and mitigate any potential cost implications. Our sourcing strategy is built on diversification, trusted supplier partnerships, and a strong regional presence, which collectively grant us the flexibility to navigate fluctuations in commodity pricing and availability. In parallel, we continue to optimize procurement processes, manage inventory efficiently, and explore alternative markets to reinforce our supply chain resilience. Despite potential volatility in global trade, our operational agility and cost discipline ensure that we are well-positioned to uphold the value we deliver to both our shareholders and our consumers.
Khabar Agency
04-05-2025
- Khabar Agency
Yemeni Forces Seize Weapons-Laden Boat Bound for Houthis
The seized vessel contained anti-tank missiles (LAW type), BMB ammunition, and offensive grenades. The operation marks the second major weapons interception in the region this week, following the seizure of another arms shipment destined for Houthis at a land checkpoint in Al-Madaraba district on April 28. Authorities emphasized the strategic importance of the Bab al-Mandab waterway, a critical maritime chokepoint that has seen repeated smuggling attempts. "This successful operation demonstrates our ongoing commitment to preventing illicit arms trafficking," a security spokesperson stated, though no group has claimed responsibility for the smuggling attempt. The interception comes amid heightened tensions in the region, with Yemeni forces intensifying efforts to disrupt weapons supply routes to armed groups. Naval patrols have been on high alert following increased smuggling activity in recent months.
