Amitabh Bachchan did not want to lend voice to Aamir Khan’s Lagaan, instead gave a warning; Ashutosh Gowariker reveals

Aamir Khan’s Lagaan (2001) remains a timeless gem and a landmark in Indian cinema, winning hearts even decades later. Recently, director Ashutosh Gowariker revealed that before Amitabh Bachchan agreed to narrate the film, he warned Aamir that every movie he’d lent his voice to had flopped. Thankfully, Big B’s 'warning' didn’t come true, and Lagaan went on to become a cult classic.

In a video shared on Aamir Khan’s YouTube channel, Ashutosh Gowariker spilled an interesting behind-the-scenes story about bringing Amitabh Bachchan on board as the film’s narrator. Gowariker revealed that the superstar didn’t say yes right away and in fact, he issued a warning. “He said to Aamir that whenever I give a voiceover to the film, that film doesn’t work. The film fails. If you are willing to take that risk then go ahead but be aware that I did tell you earlier,” the director recalled.

Fortunately, Aamir Khan wasn’t fazed. He laughed it off, showed Big B the film, and once he saw the vision and understood the unique narration style, he agreed to lend his voice. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Further, in the same interview, director Ashutosh Gowariker shared how Amitabh Bachchan’s voice completely changed the opening of Lagaan, elevating the storytelling and making it feel alive. The narration by Big B served as a powerful entry point into the film’s world.

Earlier, in an interview with India Today, Aamir also opened up on how Javed Akhtar gave him a warning before making Lagaan. He talked about its village setting, use of Awadhi, and even Amitabh Bachchan's voiceover, and said it was too risky. 

Meanwhile, on the work front, Aamir Khan is gearing up for the release of his upcoming film Sitaare Zameen Par, which was announced last year in October. Directed by RS Prasanna, it stars Aamir Khan, Darsheel Safary and Genelia Deshmukh in key roles. The film takes inspiration from the 2018 Spanish film Champions, and is all set to hit the theaters on June 20, 2025.

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ALSO READ: Aamir Khan reveals he initially hesitated to produce Lagaan: ‘I’d seen my father go through hell’