Blackthorne spent six months learning Hindi for his role, and so did Rachel Shelley, who played Elizabeth Russell.

to the film’s all-important cricket match. Lagaan cast 15 foreign actors, primary among whom was Paul Blackthorne who played Captain Andrew Russell, the man who arrogantly challenges Bhuvan and Co. He said Gracy reminded him of yesteryear actress Vyjayanthimala. Finally, Ashutosh opted for newcomer Gracy Singh, who had just delivered a hit TV show with Amaanat on Zee TV. Names like Sonali Bendre and Ameesha Patel were thrown around for the central role of Gauri, with Preity Zinta and Rani Mukerji being unable to commit dates for the film. He then requested Aamir to step in, marking the actor’s debut as producer.Ĭasting for Lagaan was also an interesting process. Those who did, wanted changes in the script and scale of the film, which Ashutosh wasn’t keen on implementing. Even with Aamir on board, no producer was willing to back the film. How Lagaan first got bankrolled and then made is a story in itself.

Legend has it that Aamir’s parents started crying after hearing the narration of the script, prompting the actor to sign on. He asked Ashutosh to narrate the story to his parents. Aamir reportedly liked the story, but was apprehensive about signing on. I was like, ‘It is a story of people who are not able to pay ‘ lagaan’ (taxes) as there are no rains and they play cricket with British people! I was like, What a bizarre thought is this!” Aamir - who was going through a rough patch himself, with non-starters like Mann and Mela - recalled later.Īshutosh, however, was adamant on having Aamir and he approached the actor after a few months post tweaking the story. “When I heard Lagaan, within five minutes of its narration, I rejected it. So did Abhishek Bachchan (you read that right). Set in 1893, at the height of British dominance over India, a group of illiterate villagers in Champaner playing a game of cricket for pride - and life - and winning against the British, was essentially a one-line idea, but one brimming with potential.Īshutosh Gowariker - who had directed Aamir a few years before Lagaan in the unwatchable Baazi (remember Aamir in a gown dancing to a version of Come September?) first approached Shah Rukh Khan for Lagaan, but the actor rejected it. Today, 20 years later, it’s a film that remains a masterclass in storytelling and performance. In an era where the Rs 100-crore club was still unheard of (for the record, Aamir himself kickstarted the same with Ghajini in 2008), Lagaan may have only earned Rs 65-crore to be declared a hit, but its impact lies far beyond its box-office earnings. It was a rare film that united the audience, touching upon everything from inclusivity to national pride, the triumph of the underdog to the richness of Indian history.

Aamir khan movies list 2001