Filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and Farhan Akhtar’s sports biopic “Bhaag Milkha Bhaag” created box office history. The director had offered Farhan a vital role in his film “Rang De Basanti”. “Rang De Basanti”, released in 2006 and Aamir Khan playing the lead role.
Akhtar was offered the part of Karan Singhania by Rakeysh Omprakash. The role was eventually played by South star Siddharth. The director recalled that Akhtar made his directorial debut with “Dil Chahta Hai” in 2001. The movie “Dil Chahta Hai” also starred Aamir Khan. Farhan Akhtar was finishing “Lakshya” at the time.
Mehra says, “I told him I wanted him to act in my film. Farhan could not believe it at that point in time! I had offered him the part of Karan. That was the only author-backed character in the whole film. Farhan was amused, I could see the twinkle in his eyes. He wondered ‘What’s wrong with this guy who is seeing me act in a film?'”
The director said Akhtar loved the script but “couldn’t see himself acting at that point of time”. Years later, Akhtar made his acting debut in 2008 with the musical drama “Rock On!!”. Farhan’s active career turned around with Mehra’s “Bhaag Milkha Bhaag”. The movie was a biopic on the life of late athlete Milkha Singh.
