‘Ranveer Singh and Hrithik Roshan passed on Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Aamir Khan said it isn’t for me’: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra on casting Farhan Akhtar

However, as acclaimed as Farhan’s performance eventually was, he wasn’t the first choice for the role. Before taking the project to him, the filmmaker first approached more conventional stars, and one up-and-comer. “I narrated the story to Hrithik Roshan, whom I have always seen as a very intense actor. Hrithik sent me a beautiful message, ‘You’ve completely screwed my life upside down.’ However, he passed it as he was already committed to his franchise, Krrish,” he wrote. Next, he approached Aamir Khan, who also turned the film down, saying simply, “Yaar Mehra, this one is not for me.” Aamir and Rakeysh had worked together on the massively popular film Rang De Basanti just some years ago.

The director then auditioned actors for the role, and was delighted to discover that Ranveer Singh was perfect for it. “He was thrilled with the part and so was I with his audition. But then even he passed it for reasons I will never know. I have always respected the decisions of another artist – we all have our own head spaces,” he wrote. Eventually, he approached Farhan with the film, and after a 15-minute narration, they shook hands on it.

Based on the life of champion athlete Milkha Singh, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag also starred Sonam Kapoor, Divya Dutta, Meesha Shafi and others. The film was a critical and commercial success, making over Rs 200 crore worldwide and earning several major awards.