From my point of view, it felt like someone is being judgmental not knowing what this person is capable of doing. That question honestly fuelled me so much during the making of that film, that why should anyone have this question about someone, firstly, who is an actor and without knowing what it is that they are capable of. “But I never forgot that question, it stayed with me. He said, “At the very first press conference that we did for the announcement of Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, a journalist asked Rakeysh, ‘How come you cast Farhan in this film? Why didn’t you take some Punjabi actor only? How will he do it?’ Rakeysh, of course, being Rakeysh and he had his belief, answered on my behalf and said why he chose to work with me on Bhaag Milkha Bhaag.” In an interview with radio host Siddharth Kannan, Farhan was asked about a time when judgments were passed on him. The film was a huge box office success and also won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. In a new interview, Farhan remembered how a journalist asked director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra why a ‘Punjabi actor’ was not cast in the film.īhaag Milkha Bhaag, which released in 2013, featured Farhan Akhtar in the role of late track star Milkha Singh. Farhan Akhtar, who played legendary sprinter Milkha Singh in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, recalled feeling judged at the first media interaction for the film.