Apoorva Lakhia, a filmmaker who began his journey by helping names like Mira Nair and Ang Lee, earned recognition in Indian cinema via his work on Lagaan as an assistant director. Directed by Ashutosh Gowariker and produced by Aamir Khan, Lagaan is a milestone in Indian movie historical past. Launched in 2001, the interval drama is well known for its distinctive storyline and its standing as one of many best Indian motion pictures ever made.
Nonetheless, behind the cinematic glory lay an exhausting manufacturing journey, which Lakhia lately detailed. Regardless of being deliberate as an 80-day shoot, the movie took practically 300 days to finish. Excessive climate situations, logistical challenges, and unexpected setbacks led to this delay. From directing scenes from a hospital mattress to monetary hurdles that required Aamir Khan’s intervention, Lagaan confronted many hurdles to finish.
Apoorva Lakhia Says Aamir Khan Had To Step In To Save Lagaan From Monetary Hurdles
Lakhia recalled Lagaan’s arduous filming course of in an interview with Friday Talkies. The crew had initially scheduled the shoot for 80 days, however a number of components prolonged it to almost a 12 months. The acute situations in Gujarat’s Kutch area, freezing winters, and scorching summers reaching 56°C made filming as laborious as doable. Lakhia shared that the O Re Chori sequence was notably grueling, as filming may solely happen throughout particular hours to keep away from the lethal warmth.
Including to the challenges, director Ashutosh Gowariker suffered a slipped disc throughout manufacturing, necessitating his route from a hospital mattress. Lakhia described how he relayed Gowariker’s directions via a mic, guaranteeing the movie’s progress regardless of the setback. Surprising incidents, such because the demise of an animal on set, additional disrupted the schedule. Maneka Gandhi’s crew intervened, halting the shoot briefly. Monetary difficulties loomed as nicely, however Aamir Khan stepped in to safe further funding, holding the venture afloat.
Lakhia additional revealed how the venture impacted him. “Lagaan took a lot out of me. I distanced myself from cinema for 2 years and even went to a culinary institute to get a level.” Nonetheless, he agrees that Lagaan made him a star. The movie was additionally financially nicely for him. “Within the USA, you receives a commission $3000 per week as an AD, and I believe I used to be making nearly 7,000-10,000 a day in Lagaan. Actually, I made extra money than Anil Mehta, the cinematographer of Lagaan,” Apoorva Lakhia revealed.
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