The story was about a piece of land in want of rains. The families that fought nature and the British to reclaim what was their own sometime in the 19th Century. The story ended with the sky pouring down.
Prophetic, for the awards started pouring in for the film and the filmmakers Aaamir Khan and Ashutosh Gowariker soon after.
Lagaan, ten years back, started a new era in Indian cinema. It proved that even films that had 90 minutes of cricket in the second half could work. And work well.
On completing ten years of the film that changed his fate, Aamir Khan opened up about the trials and tribulations he went through as an actor, a filmmaker and an individual while creating the epic. Here are some excerpts from the revelations he made.
“It was an evening to traverse down memory lane”
Last evening, Aamir Khan held a bash. First of it's kind, the bash was to celebrate ten years of Lagaan and Aamir Khan Productions. Aamir himself, however, chose to call it 'not such a big celebration'.
"We have not invited the entire industry. It's a special day for us on an emotional level," he justified. "We have invited people who have worked with Aamir Khan Productions.
The key cast and crew of all our ventures, Lagaan, Taare Zameen Par, Jaane Tu...Ya Jaane Na, Dhobi Ghat, Peepli Live and Delhi Belly have been invited. I have not even invited my close friends Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and Raju Hirani.
It is an evening to go down the memory lane. It's for the people who have contributed to my company and been a part of its growth," he added.
“I have decided to avoid Amole and Anusha”
However, it's not just his close friends who were left out from the guest list. Two key players of Aamir Khan Productions did not receive the invite either. Namely, TZP writer Amole Gupte and Peepli Live director Anusha Rizvi.
"I feel I mustn't keep negativity in my life," said Aamir explaining his decision to keep the two people off the guest list. "If some people are unhappy with me, why should I add to it? I don't want to bring up the ugly past and have decided to avoid," he added.
Anusha Rizvi, writer and director of Peepli Live and her husband Mehmood Farooqui, the co-director had blamed Aamir of stealing the limelight away.
Aamir on the other hand, breaking his silence, said that he was disappointed with Anusha questioning his role as a producer.
Amole Gupte, who wrote Taare Zameen Par had a fallout with the actor way before Anusha. He was unhappy with Aamir for taking over Taare Zameen Par, a film which was supposed to be his directorial debut.
Aamir Khan, however, seems to have moved on. "As far as Amole and Anusha are concerned, they are free to have their own opinion. Sometimes, there can be disagreements in life. If Amole feels that TZP was not a good film, that's his decision.
What can I say? As a director, I had done my best. I appreciate his writing and he had a very good script. Similarly, if Anusha feels that I am not a good producer, it's her opinion. Though, I do not agree with her.
I know how to shoulder my responsibilities as a producer. I tried my best to give a good platform to the creative talent in Peepli Live, be it Anusha, Mehmood, Omkar, Indian Ocean or anybody else," he added.
“Javed Akhtar said Lagaan will be a disaster”
Lagaan. A film that changed perceptions, careers and even lives. A film that was not that easy to make. Reminiscing about the times when Ashutosh Gowariker first came to him with the script, Aamir Khan revealed how he never thought he would produce a film.
"If you read my earlier interviews, I had always maintained that I would never produce a film. I had seen my father suffer with the making of Locket.
The film went on for eight years. As kids, my sisters and I have suffered because of it," said Aamir talking about the reason.
"Ashu had come to me with the script of Lagaan. I loved it immensely. But I was in two minds. I told him that I love it but I can't do it. After three months, I heard the script again. I still did not take it on. Ashu, meanwhile was narrating the script to different people.
Six months after that, I heard it again, and I said 'Yaar yeh toh kamaal ki script hai, mujhe karni chahiye'," Aamir revealed his initial indecision about the film that went on to be a blockbuster.
"Three more months went by and I told Ashu that I will act in the film. I asked him to get a producer. But Ashu couldn't find one. Finally, I asked my parents and my ex-wife Reena to hear the script.
They loved it. My abbajaan told me 'Aamir achchi script bahut kam baar milti hai, aapko karni chahiye'. That's when I told Ashu that I won't just act in his film, but produce it too," the actor added.
After the initial worries were overcome, there were other hurdles on the way. Talking about them, Aamir said, "We wanted Javed Akhtar to write the lyrics for the film. So, I sent Ashu to narrate the script to him.
The moment Ashu left from there, Javedsaab called me and asked me not to do the film. He said it'll be a disaster. I was shocked. I was already scared to make a film on this scale and Javedsaab just added to it. I went to him and talked about it.
He wasn't convinced. But he agreed to write the songs, anyway. Finally, when the film released, Javedsaab was convinced about the film's merit."
“I didn't want to make films without Reena”
After a successful beginning to Aamir Khan Productions with Lagaan, he waited five long years to move on to the next production Taare Zameen Par. Revealing the reason for the delay, Aamir said, "Good films work on their own. That's what I believe.
Reena and I decided that Lagaan was a good experience. We thought, film bana kar mazaa aaya. We decided to make more.
Then Reena and I went through a separation and divorce. I dropped the idea of making more films. Without Reena, mera dil nahi tha. I decided not to take production forward. I didn't want to make films without her.
But then Taare Zameen Par came along. The moment I heard it, I knew I had to produce it. And then it went on and on."
“Awards hold no value for me, anymore”
Lagaan took Aamir Khan and his production house to the Oscars. However, the producer Aamir has now decided not to be a part of any awards henceforth. He will not send his films for any award function, including the national award.
"I want to stay away from these awards. As a production house, we would not actively apply for any award henceforth. I am not even sending Dhobi Ghat for the national awards," said Aamir.
"I am not objecting to the awards or questioning them either. As a producer, I am not going to send my films.
That's about it. I want to spend my time making films. I will spend my time doing things that mean something to me and not indulge in things that hold no value for me. For me, audience response is of paramount importance. Awards aren't. That's it," added the filmmaker.
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