Follow Us
Join Us
Apoorva Lakhia, a filmmaker who started his journey by assisting names like Mira Nair and Ang Lee, earned recognition in Indian cinema through his work on Lagaan as an assistant director. Directed by Ashutosh Gowariker and produced by Aamir Khan, Lagaan is a milestone in Indian film history. Released in 2001, the period drama is celebrated for its unique storyline and its status as one of the greatest Indian movies ever made.
However, behind the cinematic glory lay an exhausting production journey, which Lakhia recently detailed. Despite being planned as an 80-day shoot, the film took nearly 300 days to complete. Extreme weather conditions, logistical challenges, and unforeseen setbacks led to this delay. From directing scenes from a hospital bed to financial hurdles that required Aamir Khan’s intervention, Lagaan faced many hurdles to complete.
Apoorva Lakhia Says Aamir Khan Had To Step In To Save Lagaan From Financial Hurdles
Lakhia recalled Lagaan’s arduous filming process in an interview with Friday Talkies. The team had initially scheduled the shoot for 80 days, but multiple factors extended it to nearly a year. The extreme conditions in Gujarat’s Kutch region, freezing winters, and scorching summers reaching 56°C made filming as hard as possible. Lakhia shared that the O Re Chori sequence was particularly grueling, as filming could only occur during specific hours to avoid the deadly heat.
Trending
Adding to the challenges, director Ashutosh Gowariker suffered a slipped disc during production, necessitating his direction from a hospital bed. Lakhia described how he relayed Gowariker’s instructions through a mic, ensuring the film’s progress despite the setback. Unexpected incidents, such as the death of an animal on set, further disrupted the schedule. Maneka Gandhi’s team intervened, halting the shoot temporarily. Financial difficulties loomed as well, but Aamir Khan stepped in to secure additional funding, keeping the project afloat.
Lakhia further revealed how the project impacted him. “Lagaan took so much out of me. I distanced myself from cinema for two years and even went to a culinary institute to get a degree.” However, he agrees that Lagaan made him a star. The film was also financially well for him. “In the USA, you get paid $3000 a week as an AD, and I think I was making almost 7,000-10,000 a day in Lagaan. In fact, I made more money than Anil Mehta, the cinematographer of Lagaan,” Apoorva Lakhia revealed.
For more such stories, check out Bollywood
Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube | Google News
