Farhan Akhtar on portraying Milkha Singh

He delivered an impressive performance as Imraan in sister Zoya Akhtar’s Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (ZNMD). And now, actor-filmmaker Farhan Akhtar is readying to sprint towards another challenging role that of the legendary sprinter Milkha Singh.

He delivered an impressive performance as Imraan in sister Zoya Akhtar’s Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (ZNMD). And now, actor-filmmaker Farhan Akhtar is readying to sprint towards another challenging role that of the legendary sprinter Milkha Singh.

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The actor admits that Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s biopic Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, also starring Sonam Kapoor, puts on his shoulders a lot of responsibility. “We are talking about someone who has a larger-than-life persona, and is an icon who has inspired others. So, everything else becomes secondary,” he says.

Ash Farhan if he’s visited the athlete and his family in Punjab to prepare for the part, and he replies: “Not yet. But it’s something I intend to do very soon.” Apparently, he will also train with special Olympic trainers and consultants to achieve an athletic body. “For such a role, you have to look athletic. And an athlete’s body is very different from that of a person who works out in the gym,” he adds.

Apparently, ZNMD, which Farhan wrote dialogues for and produced, has led to him being bombarded with acting offers. “Bombarded is a bit too much. But I have got some great offers,” he says with a laugh, adding that he took some time off after finishing the first cut of his upcoming directorial venture, Don 2. “I didn’t want to turn anything down without going through it thoroughly,” he says.

Besides Milkha, Farhan also loved the script of Abhishek Kapoor’s adaptation of Chetan Bhagat’s 3 Mistakes Of My Life. “Eventually, I will do the film. But it’s still in the scripting stage,” he says. Co-incidentally, the film will see him take on another sport cricket.

Ask him about the sequel to Rock On!! (2008), and he says, “It’s actually a project under development. Abhishek (Kapoor, director) and I have been meeting and he’s putting together the story in an interesting manner,” he says.