Why Jeev convinced his father for the film

If ace Indian golfer Jeev Milkha Singh had not convinced his dad — sprint legend Milkha Singh, then the biographical film on the latter’s life would probably not have taken off.
“There had been several approaches before this, but my dad always rejected them. But this time was different. Rakeysh (Omprakash Mehra) and Prasoon (Joshi) approached me first, and I managed to convince my dad that this needed to be done.His story will be a great inspiration for the Indian youth,” says the proud son.
The film, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, stars Farhan Akhtar in the lead role and Jeev is confident that the actor will do full justice to the portrayal of his father’s life. “Farhan is just fantastic! He is such a brilliant actor, and an even better human being.”
I have met him (Farhan) and I have been very impressed,” says Jeev. “The way he has tried to get under my father’s skin to understand his mind and copy his running style is to be seen to be believed. Honestly, having seen what Farhan has done, I don’t think any other actor could have done justice to the role,” he feels.
Even today, people smile in awe at the mention of The Flying Sikh and that a film is being made on his life — the first biographical film on a sports star —has the family excitedly looking forward to it. “It’s just awesome! I have the greatest regards for Rakeysh as a director. And to have a team like Prasoon and Farhan, you just can’t go wrong. And obviously, I think they have got a great script in the life story of my father,” Jeev says.
While Jeev is taking a keen interest in the project, he is also celebrating his latest success in golf. He won the recent Scottish Open and the win came after a long gap. “There surely was an amount of luck involved. I knew I had played a fantastic round on the final day in difficult playing conditions, but I didn’t think that would be enough to win me the tournament!” he says.
But there is no denying that he worked really hard this year. “And I say this year because such was my physical condition the last three years that even though I wanted to practice hard, I could not. There was one injury after another and it was getting a bit frustrating,” he reveals.
His renewed confidence is sure to reflect in the PGA Championship (USA), which is the final Major (prestigious golf tournament) of the golf season. “Feeling very confident about the game comes naturally after you win a tournament. My goal for 2012 is to finish the year inside the top-50 of the world rankings,” he adds.
Golfers will be eligible for the next Olympics for the first time since 1904. Will India have an edge over other countries? “Well, you never know how things will pan out in the next four years.
Perhaps we will have a couple of players inside the top-10 of the world by then!” he says.
But going by the current rankings, it will be a tough task, he admits. “But there can be no greater motivation for a player than to be playing for his country, and that can lead to some extraordinary performances. We have a few very hungry youngsters on the various tours right now, and I am sure guys like Anirban Lahiri, Gaganjeet Bhullar and Himmat Rai will be much more experienced and mature by the time Rio comes,” he says.
This Olympics, we haven’t won as many medals as expected. “I think the biggest reason why we do not do well in the Games is because sports is not a priority in the minds of a majority of Indian parents. The situation has improved a lot over the last few years, but even today, if you ask parents, they would rather have their kids make a career in academics. We need motivation from parents,” he stresses.
Jeev got all the support he needed from his parents. “I have to thank my dad for whatever I have achieved in my career,” he says. And his dad will always be the star in the family, he adds. “I have always maintained that unless and until I win a Major, my dad will always remain the superstar of the family. He still ribs me when we are walking together in airports and people come and ask for his autograph. But considering what he achieved during his time, and given the hardship he went through to get there, it’s fair that he gets that kind of recognition,” he shares.