Back then, we never thought a film like Lagaan would work: Aamir Khan

Twenty-five years after Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India changed the landscape of Hindi cinema, its creators came together at Mumbai’s Mehboob Studios on Monday evening for a nostalgic conversation about the film. The panel discussion, moderated by Meiyang Chang, featured actor-producer Aamir Khan, director Ashutosh Gowariker, lyricist Javed Akhtar and composer AR Rahman, who reflected on the enormous risks, doubts and creative ambition behind the film.Released in 2001, Lagaan, a period sports drama set in a drought-stricken village under British rule, earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film, introducing Indian mainstream cinema to a global audience. FROM DOUBT TO A CULT CLASSICOpening the evening, Aamir admitted that no one involved with the film imagined its legacy would endure for decades. “We never thought people would remember this film for 25 years. At that time, we didn’t even know whether the film would work or whether audiences would like it. It feels exciting that something we made so many years ago is still relevant.” Calling the gathering the first official event marking the film’s silver jubilee, Aamir added that the team remains overwhelmed by the affection the film continues to receive.A STORY BORN OUT OF FAILURE AND FAITHFor Ashutosh, Lagaan emerged during a difficult phase in his career. The filmmaker recalled that after two unsuccessful films, he wanted to create something entirely original and emotionally stirring.He said the idea began with seven unlikely heroes, men burdened with differences and conflict who eventually unite for a common cause. As the screenplay evolved, so did his dream team. “Only Aamir was in my mind for the role,” Gowariker shared, adding, “Along with that, mere mind mein yeh zaroor tha ki iss film ka music AR Rahman ko karna chahiye aur lyrics Javed Akhtar ka hona chahiye, and the entire HOD list including Bhanu Athaiya ji for costumes.” But convincing Aamir proved difficult.‘BAHUT BURI KAHANI HAI YAAR’One of the evening’s most entertaining moments came when Aamir revisited his now-famous rejection of Lagaan. The actor revealed that when Gowariker first narrated the premise - villagers playing cricket against the British to avoid paying tax - he was convinced the story would fail. “I told Ashu, ‘Bahut buri kahani hai yaar. This story does not make sense to me,’” Aamir recalled. Three months later, Gowariker returned with a completed script and requested a full narration of three-four hours. Aamir admitted he agreed to listen with “zero expectations”, believing he would reject the film once again. Instead, he found himself completely absorbed.From the moment he started narrating, I was hooked,” Aamir said. “When the narration ended, I was gobsmacked. I had never heard such a brilliant script before.” Even then, the actor hesitated. Producing the film himself felt like a terrifying prospect, especially after watching his father struggle as a producer in the industry. “Mujhe der saal laga before I said yes to Ashu for Lagaan,” he said.ON SEEING THE FIRST CUT, I REALISED IT WAS A MASTERPIECE: JAVED AKHTARJaved Akhtar confessed that he too believed the project was commercially risky, perhaps impossibly so for its time. He recalled feeling protective towards Aamir, whom he had known since childhood, having written Yaadon Ki Baaraat, one of the young actor’s earliest screen appearances. "Maine socha agar main nahi samjhunga toh inhe kaun samjhayega?" he said, with the wry warmth of a man recounting his own spectacular misjudgement. “I felt this film was a perfect list of things that would never make a film work in those days. Uss zamane belief tha ki period films don’t work. Next was cricket ek film-friendly game nahi hai, after all Aamir’s Awwal Number had flopped. Heroes wearing dhoti – that wouldn't work in a 2000 film, box office nahi manega. Even my Gaabar Singh decades ago was seen wearing pants. And throughout the film, characters cricket seekh rahein hain. I was worried for them, ye kya film hai.” He said Lagaan seemed to contain every element considered “unmarketable” in Hindi cinema then: a period setting, cricket as the central theme, heroes in dhotis, and a narrative built around learning a sport rather than conventional action or romance. “I called then both and bahut samjhaya ki yeh film na banaye. But, bahut khushi ki baat hai ki they did not listen to me and went ahead and made the film. And I decided ki main apna kaam imaandaari se karunga, picture jaisa bhi ho, gaane acche hone chahiye. When I saw the first cut, I realized what a masterpiece it was. I am very proud of this film.”RAHMAN ON CREATING A TIMELESS SCOREFor AR Rahman, the challenge lay in ensuring the music matched the film’s epic emotional scale. The composer said he approached Lagaan with the intention of making its soundtrack timeless, which led him to collaborate with legendary singers Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle alongside Javed Akhtar’s lyrics. Rahman also shared a moving memory from the film’s background score sessions, explaining how he experimented with hybrid orchestration techniques because certain instruments were unavailable in India at the time. Describing one recording session, he recalled seeing Aamir sitting silently in tears after hearing the music. “He asked me, ‘What have you done to my movie?’ - in a good way,” Rahman said with a smile. “That was the first time I saw the birth of a producer who was so emotionally invested in every aspect of the film.”