Veteran actor Dalip Tahil, who portrayed Jawaharlal Nehru in Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, recently opened up about a memorable meeting with the legendary athlete Milkha Singh. He revealed that the conversation not only deepened his understanding of Nehru’s role in Milkha’s life but also helped him bring authenticity to his performance on screen.Dalip, who played a small yet impactful role in the Farhan Akhtar-starrer, shared that he had specifically asked the film’s team to arrange a meeting with Milkha Singh. “He was the only one among us who had actually met Jawaharlal Nehru,” Dalip said in an interview with Red FM, adding that hearing directly from Milkha would help him better embody the late Prime Minister’s persona.‘Nehru ji manipulated me by making me Captain’During the meeting, Milkha Singh spoke candidly with the actor for nearly four hours. One of the most poignant memories he shared was how Nehru had persuaded him to travel to Lahore in 1960 to compete in the 200m event, despite Milkha’s strong reluctance.“Milkha ji told me, ‘I didn’t want to go back to Pakistan, but Prime Minister Pandit Nehru told me to go and manipulated me by making me the Captain of the team,’” Dalip recalled. “Nehru ji didn’t want to send a politician. He wanted someone with stature and civilian dignity to ease tensions between the two countries. He knew what Milkha ji had suffered during Partition, so to convince him, he gave him that honour.”Milkha Singh, who had lost both his parents and several siblings during the violence of Partition, had deep emotional scars associated with his birthplace, which became part of Pakistan. However, according to Dalip, the respect and warmth he received during the trip moved him. “He said, ‘I couldn’t believe the contrast.’ He was treated so well in Pakistan.”
‘I want leaves!’ – Milkha’s hilarious request to NehruDalip also shared a light-hearted anecdote from their conversation. After Milkha returned victorious from Lahore, Nehru asked him what reward he wanted. “Milkha Singh told me he said, ‘I want leaves,’” Dalip laughed. “His wife joked, ‘If he had asked for 100 acres of land, we’d be landowners by now!’”Dalip concluded by saying, “Milkha Singh told me Nehru changed his life.”Milkha Singh, fondly known as The Flying Sikh, passed away in 2021.
