MUMBAI: It’s a father-son reunion story warm enough to be translated into a tender screenplay. It was indeed a historical moment when star-cricketer Yuvraj Singh made it a point to be present for his father Yograj Singh’s shooting of Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s ‘Run Milkha Run’.
Yograj Singh, a Punjabi-Hindi actor of nearly three decades’ experience before the camera (he was first seen in J.P.Dutta’s Batwara in 1983) plays Milkha Singh’s coach in Mehra’s film.
Yuvraj suddenly showed up to show solidarity with his father when Yograj began to shoot for the film.
Says the friend, “After his illness, Yuvraj has become closer to his father. ‘Run Milkha Run’ is the first film featuring his father that Yuvraj made it a point to take interest in. When Yuvraj arrived on location we could see his father was deeply moved.”
While Yuvraj remained unavailable for comment Rakeysh Mehra confirmed the incident. “It was an extremely interesting moment when Yuvraj dropped in on the sets. He gave the clap for his father Yograj’s shot. Yuvraj’s presence was a great inspiration for the cast and crew. Personally it meant a lot to me. My film is an inspiring story of a sports legend. To have a contemporary sports icon’s father in my film and to have the sports icon visiting our set was according to me, a moment of history.”