A Still From Lagaan
A Still From Lagaan (Photo Credit –Netflix)

When Ashutosh Gowariker first pitched Lagaan to Aamir Khan, neither of them could have predicted the cult status the film would eventually achieve. Or that it would become the third Indian movie to be nominated for an Oscar (after Mother India and Salaam Bombay!). Lagaan is far more than just a sports drama; it’s a landmark film that put Indian cinema on the global stage. Now, imagine if this iconic story could be reimagined to captivate the current generation of OTT viewers, but with a fresh twist. What is that twist, and how could it engage old and new viewers in an entirely new way? Read on to find out.

Lagaan’s Original Cut

According to a report in The Times of India, Aamir Khan revealed in an interview with Mashable India that the first cut of Lagaan was a staggering seven and a half hours long. There were nearly four hours of footage covering everything that happened before the cricket match even began. Eventually, the makers had to cut around half of the film, after which the final cut came down to 3 hours and 42 minutes. What a humongous task it must have been!

How Lagaan Can Be Reimagined For OTT Audience

So, here’s the idea: release the full, original, uncut seven-and-a-half-hour version of Lagaan on an OTT platform, but not as a single film (obviously). Instead, relaunch it as an eight-part web series. Just imagine the massive potential this Lagaan web series could have. Diehard fans would finally get to see deleted scenes and extended footage, while a new generation of streaming audiences, not only in India but around the world, could experience the magic of onscreen cricket in a whole new way, episode by episode.

How A Lagaan Web Series Could Be A Fresh Experience For Fans

Reintroducing the original cut of Lagaan in the form of a web series could create an entirely new experience even for those who have already seen the film on the big screen. With the never-before-seen footage, the series could explore deeper subplots, more detailed character arcs, and each episode could end with a key turning point. It could also have remastered visuals to make it even more appealing to today’s younger OTT audience. Aamir Khan Sir, are you listening? The ball is in your court now.

What Was Lagaan All About

Directed by Ashutosh Gowariker and set in 1893, the period sports drama revolves around a group of villagers who are burdened by heavy taxes imposed by an arrogant British Indian Army officer, Captain Russell (Paul Blackthorne). When a rebellious villager, Bhuvan (Aamir Khan), accepts Captain Russell’s challenge to defeat the Britishers in the game of cricket, the villagers must quickly learn the new game to avoid paying taxes for the next three years. The film holds a critics’ score of 95% on Rotten Tomatoes and a user rating of 8.1/10 on IMDb.

For more such stories, check out Bollywood Features

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