Farhan Akhtar to ride on Royal Enfield!

Royal Enfield and Farhan Akhtar came together today to celebrate the spirit of epic journeys that display courage, endurance and perseverance through the ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’ contest that was held by Royal Enfield. The winner Hamininder Singh from Srinagar, received the keys to the Royal Enfield Desert Storm motorcycle that was ridden by Farhan Akhtar in the recently released film ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’.

The contest, which was conducted on Royal Enfield’s social media platform, encouraged enthusiasts to share their tales of victory, passion and courage where they have overcome challenges and hardships that is a reflection of the film’s script that portrays the odyssey of the legendary Milkha Singh.

Shaji Koshy, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Royal Enfield said “The association between the film and us was a natural fit in many ways. Milkha’s odyssey took him from Partition-torn Pakistan to the heady heights of victory in London at the Commonwealth Games, turning him into a legend. Similarly, the Royal Enfield brand has travelled from the metal foundries of Redditch to the shores of coastal Chennai where it has now become an automotive icon”.

The association was also a tribute to the shared interest for authentic story-telling by both Royal Enfield as well as the makers of ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’. To retain the film’s authenticity in its portrayal of the character of the Flying Sikh, Farhan is seen riding a Royal Enfield motorcycle to recreate Milkha Singh’s days with in the Indian Army where he actually rode a Royal Enfield. The film makers had approached Royal Enfield to use a motorcycle similar that period and the brand did not disappoint them. Royal Enfield provided bikes which were as close to that era with the classic styling. Not only that, Royal Enfield removed the disc brakes which come on the Desert Storm and replaced it with the drum breaks to underscore the authenticity of the film. 

In line with Royal Enfield’s philosophy of authentic story-telling and creating content from the real experiences of its enthusiasts, a campaign was created to reflect the spirit of endurance that is common to both the film and the brand.

“The contest was our way of celebrating the spirit of epic journeys that we frequently see in our fans and customers. The Bhaag Milkha Bhaag contest provided these enthusiasts with a platform to tell their hitherto untold stories of their own odysseys,” added Shaji Koshy.

Themed around ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag this consumer engagement campaign attempted to bring to the fore the spirit of self-discovery and enterprising Odyssey that has long been the essence of the Royal Enfield brand and its loyal enthusiasts.