Ashutosh Gowariker recently disclosed that the Aamir Khan-starring film Lagaan originally had an 1885 setting but eventually changed it for a fascinating reason!
One of Bollywood’s most notable directors is Ashutosh Gowariker. His body of work speaks for itself. His contributions to numerous films have received a great deal of acclaim from the audience. His 2001 film Lagaan, which he directed, not only left an impression on the audience but also over time came to be regarded as a cult favourite. Aamir Khan and Gracy Singh played the main characters in the historical drama. The year 1893 served as the setting for the movie. Ashutosh recently revealed, however, that he had first intended to produce the movie in the year 1885, but later decided against it at the advice of the costume designer.
Ashutosh Gowariker, an acclaimed director, recently revealed the original year of his classic directorial at a Jio MAMI event in Mumbai on Tuesday, September 26. I selected 1885 since it was the year the Indian National Congress (INC) was established. I thought it would be nice to see the INC’s founding and Bhuvan’s ascent to hero status. The main character, Bhuvan, was portrayed by Aamir Khan.
He further added, “I said I am okay to change the year but asked the reason for it. The costume designer of the film, Bhanu Athaiya explained to him that, ‘Queen Victoria was in mourning. She came out of it around 1890. That’s when the entire wardrobe changed from black and grey and became colorful’. I was absolutely blown. That showed how much knowledge she had,” the director revealed.
Indian painter and costume designer Bhanu Athaiya. Additionally, she was the first Indian to get an Academy Award. She is regarded as one of the top costume designers and is known for her collaborations with illustrious directors like Guru Dutt, Yash Chopra, B.R. Chopra, Raj Kapoor, Vijay Anand, Raj Khosla, and Ashutosh Gowariker, among others.
Bhanu won the Academy Award for Best Costume Design and was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Costume Design for Gandhi, the 1982 film.
Ashutosh Gowariker, who has collaborated with the seasoned designer on films like Lagaan (2001) and Swades (2004), revealed details of their friendship during the event. He remembered the moments and gushed about how fantastic working with her was. He claimed that although the Lagaan screenplay was complete, Bhanu Athaiya would create the costumes even before a producer or actor had been added to the cast. The fact that this person has clothed nearly every heroine dating back to the 1970s and every famous actress silhouette was the most significant factor for me. 70% of the costumes in a 60-second video on Indian women today will be hers.
“My only concern was whether she’ll say yes to a director who (has given two unsuccessful films,” he remarked. I then made an attempt to play the card “Mee Kolhapur cha aahe.” The phrase “Tumhi pan Kolhapur che aahe” means “Just like you, even I am from Kolhapur” That was how I first met her.
