Aur Bhuvan ka naam itihaas ke panno mein kahi kho gaya… This concluding voice-over in Lagaan (2001) is maybe the precise reverse of what the movie — during which he performed an iconic character — did to Aamir Khan’s profession. Each Khan and the movie received a number of accolades and 20 years later, the reminiscences are nonetheless so vivid in his thoughts. As he talks to us for an unique chat through zoom name, the actor opens up in regards to the highs and lows whereas capturing the movie, the distinctive mixture of casting, what if it launched and chance of a remake. Excerpts:
Lot of individuals nonetheless marvel if Lagaan was loosely primarily based on a real story or was it a piece of pure fiction…
Lagaan was completely a fiction; there was no reality in it in any respect. Nevertheless, the script that Ashu (director Ashutosh Gowarikar) wrote is so near actual life — that one thing like this might have occurred. There have been many British officers at the moment, there have been many Indians at the moment, so aisi koi kahaani agar Hindustan mein ghati hogi toh humne uske baare mein suna bhi nahi hoga. Is it a probable story? Sure, it’s a doubtless story, however it’s not primarily based on truth. It’s fiction, however very near truth.
I keep in mind from one in every of our earlier interactions, you had talked about that you simply didn’t get to spend a single day with Ashutosh and talk about about your character, Bhuvan. And it was an evening earlier than your first day of shoot in Bhuj that you simply requested him to sit down for someday. Would you recall this story intimately for us?
(laughs) Yeah, he mentioned apne paas waise bhi time nahi hai, jo tu kar raha hai, yahi appropriate hai. Lagaan was such a prep-heavy movie that neither Ashu nor I had the time to sit down and talk about my character at size. So actually, the final day I mentioned, ‘You’ve hung out all different actors, mere saath ek bar bhi nahi baitha. You’re simply assuming that I’d do it proper’. So, we didn’t actually put together collectively. Really, I had been making ready in my head slowly, however I had by no means obtained the possibility to share with Ashu ki most important aisa soch raha hu, and if additionally imagined Bhuvan like that? In order that was the day I obtained to share with him and fortunately it labored for Ashu additionally, and what we had been pondering, we had been on the identical web page.
Additionally, the truth that you used to organize your traces an evening earlier than the shoot, is that true?
I needed to battle with my diction. What occurs usually is, like in PK, I’ve spoken Bhojpuri or in Dangal, I’ve picked up Haryanavi. However I had 3-Four months then, each phrase needed to be pronounced appropriately and I had spent three-four months with the phonetics trainer. However, I didn’t have that prep time in Lagaan. I’d actually study my traces on a day earlier than the scene was to be shot.
You had been additionally turning producer with Lagaan. Did that in any respect play a component in you getting lesser time to organize in your position?
Definitely. I believe my lack of prep in Lagaan, I can actually blame it on my work as a producer (chuckles). Itna kaam tha as a producer ki most important as an actor prep nahi kar paaya. Additionally, it was the primary movie I used to be producing, and I used to be paying extra consideration that nothing goes mistaken. So, Lagaan might be my most unprepared efficiency, in consequence.
Additionally, Ashu had given two movies earlier than this, which weren’t so profitable. So, whereas I trusted him, his script and his capability that’s why I used to be going forward, par kahin par ek darr bhi lagta hai ki, yeh beeda utha kar humne kono galti toh nahi ki (laughs).
So at what level had been you satisfied that nothing will go mistaken from right here?
I keep in mind in the future, we had been capturing for a scene the place we see the clouds coming and the temple boy is enjoying the drum, making noises, and all of us get excited… ghanan ghanan ghanan, arrey baarish aane wali hai. So, Ashu put the shot, set the trolley and mentioned he desires to seize our faces. He advised us to return from totally different instructions and collect at one level within the body. We did a few rehearsal the place I got here and stood in entrance of the digital camera, and everybody else collected round me. Aur mujhe laga aisa hello hoga. However later we realised, Ashu was doing the rehearsal just for the trolley timing, he wasn’t bothered about us. After he obtained the trolley timing proper, he mentioned, now, ‘I’ll provide you with your positions’. He made Ismail, Bhura and others stand within the heart, and advised me to go in the direction of the intense nook.
I obtained a bit scared and requested him, ‘Aren’t we doing a bit an excessive amount of of an experiment? In spite of everything, we had been making a mainstream movie that viewers ought to like. He advised me, ‘See, you’re not my hero, Aamir. You’re Bhuvan. For the village, you’re one in every of them. Usko bhi hum jyada bhav nahi dete, we don’t take into account him a pacesetter’.
So, as a director, he had conceived this that whereas the movie is occurring, Bhuvan is like some other villager and solely when he says, ‘Sarat manjoor hai’, he turns into the chief and everybody follows him. He mentioned till that point, I don’t wish to hold you in heart of the body. After I obtained that reply from Ashu, I used to be certain that he is aware of the script inside out and I don’t want to fret in any respect.
I fully agreed with him that Bhuvan will grow to be hero solely when he does one thing heroic. Earlier than that, it’s solely in response to casting that Aamir is a star and others will not be, however movie mein sab ek samaan hai. In order that development, Ashu had considered, and that impressed me quite a bit.
Speaking of the movie’s casting, which one you assume was essentially the most distinctive of all and why?
I’m going to speak in regards to the casting that didn’t occur. I discover that very fascinating. So, for the position of Bhura, the murgi wallah, which Raghubir Yadav has performed, we had initially provided the movie to Ravi Baswani, he’s no extra. However, he couldn’t commit so many days as a result of his mom’s well being. We had been very eager for him to do this position, so I nonetheless miss Ravi, and generally marvel if he had performed it, it could have been very charming.
Not that Raghubir ji wasn’t good at it. He was nice. Really, Raghubir ji was solid to play the position of Ram Singh, the translater to Queen Elizabeth. When Ravi mentioned no, we advised Raghubir ji to do Bhura’s half and we introduced Javed Khan for Ram Singh’s half.
One other very fascinating casting was of Goli. There have been quite a few actors who had been auditioned and one of many individuals who the addition was Daya Shankar Pandey, who lastly performed the position. He stored telling me to speak to Ashu that there are a number of roles in Lagaan and he may at the least match someplace. However Ashu felt, Daya’s look was not proper for the half. Once I advised him this, Daya laughed and mentioned, ‘Kya baat kar raha hai yaar. Matlab ab Yash Chopra ji mujhe Dil Toh Pagal Hai mein legein? Agar most important Lagaan mein go well with nahi hota toh kaun si pictrue mein go well with hounga. I solely seem like a villager, I don’t seem like the rest’. How a lot we laughed, and eventually, he was within the movie. He’s a lethal man.
Lagaan was a protracted movie, so if it was to be made right this moment, do you assume the staff may have introduced the runtime down?
I can say with assure that irrespective of how laborious Ashu tried, Lagaan ki size utni hello hoti. Again then additionally, we tried out greatest that we don’t make a 4-hour lengthy movie, however we couldn’t name it shorter. So, even right this moment, we might have tried equally laborious, and we’d have once more failed and we’d nonetheless get a Three hours 42 minutes lengthy movie. In reality, the unique minimize is Four hours 2 minutes, and within the final edit of the movie, we eliminated of a piece of 18 minutes.
Speaking of present occasions, as an actor-producer, would you could have agreed if Lagaan was to be made just for internet and launch first on OTT platforms?
Effectively, I’ve nothing in opposition to OTT, it’s an awesome platform and I really like watching issues stuff there. I simply really feel that the work that I do and, the work that I make, I’m a cinema individual, a theatre lover. I like watching it within the cinema corridor. So, irrespective of after I make my movies, I’d like the primary exhibition to be in a cinema corridor no matter when that occurs. After all, I’d prefer it to return on OTT lastly, however I’m an individual who’d first wish to see it in on the massive display.
And what a couple of chance of a remake if anybody ever comes up with an thought? Will you permit somebody to the touch the traditional that you simply’ve made 20 years in the past?
Why not? I’m not possessive about these items,” immediate comes the reply from Khan, and he continues, “If one other inventive staff desires to take action, I’d not cease anybody. I’d say make a greater one which what we did and perhaps we’d study from them of no matter we missed. I’ve no downside. In reality, I’d discover it fascinating to see how they make Lagaan in right this moment’s occasions and the way would Bhuvan do his half.”
Why not? I’m not possessive about these items. I imply, if one other inventive staff desires to take action and produce their perspective and standpoint, I’d not wish to cease anybody. I’d slightly say make a greater one which what we did and perhaps we’d study from them of no matter we missed. I’ve no downside. In reality, I’d discover it fascinating to see how they make Lagaan in right this moment’s occasions, as a result of Ashu and I received’t be part of it, so Bhuvan jo karega, kaise karega.