What Made ‘Lagaan’ an Enduring Classic?

Ashutosh Gowariker’s Lagaan remains an iconic film in the history of Bollywood.

When the film was released on June 15, 2001, it instantly captured the hearts of the audience globally.

The movie’s unusual yet captivating storyline, melded with romance and cricket, became a new benchmark for Indian cinema.

Adorned with powerful performances and melodious music, it remains an immensely loved movie that continues to mesmerise viewers.

Lagaan also captivated the attention of international institutions. In 2002, it was shortlisted for an Academy Award for ‘Best Foreign Language Film’.

However, have you ever wondered how such a cinematic marvel was created?

In a celebration of such a masterpiece, DESIblitz invites you to join us as we delve into what made Lagaan such an enduring classic.

Scripting & Preparation

A Risky Idea

Lagaan is set in Central India in the 1890s. In the fictional village of Champaner, the drought-stricken villagers struggle to pay their land tax to the British Empire.

To cancel their taxes, the villagers, led by Bhuvan (Aamir Khan), challenge the arrogant British officer, Capt. Andrew Russell (Paul Blackthorne) to a game of cricket.

However, the farmers know nothing about the game. Russell’s sister, Elizabeth Russell (Rachel Shelley) offers them secret help.

Meanwhile, Bhuvan enjoys a loving romance with Gauri (Gracy Singh), while Elizabeth also wrestles with her growing feelings for Bhuvan.

Soon, the film is transformed into a nail-biting cricket match, where the villagers must give it their all to win, or risk paying tax that could completely wipe them out.

Just as in the film, rebellion was also taking place behind the camera as well.

Before Lagaan, Ashutosh Gowariker was an unsuccessful filmmaker with two flops to his name.

When he narrated the premise of Lagaan to Aamir Khan, the latter did not think much of his friend’s idea.

Aamir admitted: “When Ashu told me the premise, I rejected it. I thought it was nonsensical.”

This rejection fuelled Ashutosh to write the entire script of the film.

When he re-approached Aamir with the script, the actor was at first disappointed that Ashutosh had wasted his time working on what he thought was an implausible idea.

However, Aamir says: “When I finally heard the script, I was blown away. I thought I was listening to something magical.”

But there was still a problem.

Aamir continues: “I told Ashutosh that this is a very risky film and it’s very different to the films that the audience was used to watching.

“I was feeling very frightened and did not have the courage to accept the film.”

A Rejected Script

Aamir did not have the guts. But neither did anyone else. Ashutosh approached many other actors, including Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan, and Abhishek Bachchan, all of whom turned it down.

As for production houses, many praised the film, but some wanted modifications in the script.

There was even talk of having Bhuvan stab Capt. Russell with a flagpole during the climax.

During this time, Ashutosh regularly updated Aamir, who in turn could not get the script out of his head.

Aamir then requested Ashutosh to narrate the script to him again, this time along with his then-wife Reena Dutta and his parents.

Reena and Aamir’s parents loved the script and they all said that Aamir should do the film.

However, Aamir was still scared. Then, he thought of his idols, including Chetan Anand, Bimal Roy, and Guru Dutt.

In an interview, Aamir says: “I thought about all the films we have loved and before starting those films, what must have they been going through.

“One needs courage to take a risk to make something.

“I thought about all the people I look up to and I keep talking about them. When will I start being like them?”

It was this realisation that made Aamir not only agree to act in the film, but also sign up as a producer.

Reena also joined the team as an Executive Producer. And thus, Aamir Khan Productions was born.

Jhamu Sughand also joined the team as a financier, backing the film to success.

Casting & Locations

With Aamir Khan signed as Bhuvan, the hunt for other actors began.

For the female lead role as Gauri, several actresses were considered.

These included Nandita Das, Ameesha Patel, Sonali Bendre, and Rani Mukerji.

Ultimately, the newcomer Gracy Singh was selected.

The roles of the other team players were filled by the likes of Raghubir Yadav, Yashpal Sharma, Akhilendra Mishra, and Pradeep Rawat, among others.

Many of them had collaborated with Aamir before. For example, Akhilendra and Pradeep had worked with him in Sarfarosh (1999).

Ashutosh and Aamir also travelled to the UK to recruit British actors.

Paul and Rachel were cast as Capt. Andrew Russell and Elizabeth respectively.

Along with them, a unique cohort of other talented British artists was also assembled.

By employing such a diverse cast, Lagaan became more authentic and real, suggesting the commitment by the makers to honour the passion which was bubbling inside them.

Production designer Nitin Chandrakant Desai created the village of Champaner in Bhuj, Gujarat.

During production, the cast and crew spent their days in close proximity in the city, forging lasting bonds that translate beautifully onscreen.

It was this spirit that united the team of Lagaan both onscreen and behind the scenes.

Music

The soundtrack of Lagaan is composed by the legendary musician, AR Rahman, with outstanding lyrics by Javed Akhtar.

In 2026, Aamir, Ashutosh, Rahman, and Javed shared the stage for an interview in which they discussed the music of the film.

Praising Rahman, Javed says: “The music had to have the ambience of that time.

“But at that same time, the audience was not of that century. The audience was of today.

“It had to be palatable for this audience and should sound of that time.

“This is the master stroke. Only Rahman could do that.”

The words of Javed aptly demonstrate Rahman’s genius in his compositions.

Every song from Lagaan is a chartbuster, whether it is the energetic ‘Ghanan Ghanan’, the motivating ‘Mitwa’, the romantic ‘O Rey Chhori’, or the inspiring ‘Chale Chalo’.

Interestingly, Ashutosh and Aamir lobbied hard for the hook of ‘Chale Chalo’ to be ‘Nasha Nasha’.

However, Javed flatly refused and held firm to his belief. The results of his determination is there for all to see.

Notably, Javed’s children, Farhan and Zoya Akhtar, wrote the English lyrics in ‘O Rey Chhori’.

Talented singers such as Sukhwinder Singh, Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik, and Vasundhara Das, decorate the songs with their voices.

The soundtrack also features the veteran legends, Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle.

Commenting on their inclusion, Rahman says: “To make timeless songs, we needed singers who were timeless.”

Release & Impact

Leading up to the release, the industry had little hope for Lagaan.

It was predicted to be a big disaster due to its unconventional filming techniques and risky plot.

Regarding the former, Aamir utilised assistant directors and sync sound.

Sync sound refers to the practice of retaining the sound accumulated on set without the need for dubbing.

Aamir was also determined to shoot the film in a single schedule. At that time, these were not the norms in the film industry.

Industry heavyweights, including Karan Johar and Aditya Chopra, advised Aamir to avoid such risks.

However, Aamir and the team stuck to their decisions. And when Lagaan was released, the naysayers ate their words.

Cinemas transformed into cricket stadiums, cheers echoed in the halls, and the film was unanimously cherished and praised.

Karan Johar confessed that seeing Lagaan really grounded him as he was feeling arrogant about his upcoming film, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham… (2001).

Despite clashing with Sunny Deol’s mega-blockbuster, Gadar: Ek Prem Katha (2001), Lagaan held its ground.

While it may not have earned as much at the box office, it received a lot of love and adulation.

Lagaan did wonders for Ashutosh’s unpromising career. He went on to helm more revered classics, including Swades (2004) and Jodhaa Akbar (2008).

As for Aamir, this game-changing film led him to be termed as ‘Mr Perfectionist’.

In 2002, he won the Filmfare ‘Best Actor’ Award for his performance.

In an interview, he explains how he balanced portraying Bhuvan’s innocence and his inner strength.

For the character’s innocence, Aamir curled his eyelashes, while standing upright with a strong centre of gravity to project courage.

Aamir is now widely respected for his filmography, which is often hailed for raising awareness and leaving indelible imprints on the audience.

Lagaan also inspired the bestselling author, Vaishnavi Patel, when she conceived the idea for her novel, Ten Incarnations of Rebellion (2025).

An Oscar-Worthy Film

In 2002, Lagaan became the third Indian film to be shortlisted for an Academy Award (Oscar).

Before this film, Mother India (1957) and Salaam Bombay (1988) were also nominated.

The scale, passion, and acclaim all made it a very worthy contender for the prestigious accolade.

Unfortunately, Lagaan lost the award to the Bosnian film, No Man’s Land (2001).

When Lagaan did not win, there was disappointment in India.

However, when asked about the loss, Aamir says: “To achieve a place in the top five at the Oscars is so difficult.

“Until all the jury members absolutely love your film, you can’t get nominated.

“So, when you get nominated, you are a winner in a way.

“At the Oscars, when No Man’s Land was announced instead of our film, at least 50 people came to me.

“They said they felt very bad that Lagaan didn’t win.

“When I asked why, they said they were in the jury and that they had voted for us.”

Although Lagaan did not win the Oscar, it was put on an international map and a door to this film was opened for many others around the world.

An Undying Piece of Art

Lagaan is not just a film. It is a canvas of ultimate belief.

The film went against many norms and habits of Bollywood at the time.

It paved the way for many more risk-taking projects, which have all shone in their own ways.

What we see onscreen is a transcendent cinematic experience.

The film also capitalises on its diverse characters, including the Sikh Deva Singh Sodhi, the mute Bagha, and Kachra, of a lower caste.

At over three hours and 40 minutes, the film is one of the longest movies in Indian cinema.

However, the picture is so engrossing that one does not realise where the time goes.

Along with the aforementioned names, there are many talented artists who contributed to this marvel.

These include costume designer Bhanu Athaiya, choreographer Saroj Khan, cinematographer Anil Mehta, and editor Ballu Saluja.

In 2026, Lagaan was rereleased across India to commemorate the film’s 25th anniversary.

So, go forth and enjoy the enduring sensation, Lagaan.

Watch the trailer: