MUMBAI: Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (Run Milkha Run), the latest film by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, will shoot key scenes in Melbourne, according to the Premier of Victoria and minister for the Arts Ted Baillieu.

The film will tell the story of the legendary Indian runner Milkha Singh, known as the ‘Flying Sikh‘, who won 77 of the international races out of the 80 that he entered in. Singh first represented India at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics that introduced him to the world stage and launched his international running career.

"India is one of the busiest film production destinations in the world, and its burgeoning film industry offers vast opportunities for Victorian co-production projects, building on our strengths in the creative arts," Baillieu observed. "Victoria is gaining recognition as a leading film production destination with world-class studio facilities at our disposal, such as the Docklands Film and Television Studios."

Baillieu said that the length of the shoot in Melbourne was anticipated to be between two and three weeks, which will generate more than $1 million in local economic activity.

Produced by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra Productions (ROMP) and Viacom18 India, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag will be directed by Mehra. It features Farhaan Akhtar and Sonam Kapoor. Tourism Victoria will leverage the release of the movie through a marketing campaign in India featuring the key locations from the film.

Other Indian films shot in Melbourne were Salaam Namaste and Chak de! India.