Highlights
- Rahman says Lagaan helped introduce Indian film music to a global audience
- The composer revealed the film led to international opportunities after its Oscar recognition
- Lagaan completed 25 years since its release
- Some of the film’s most popular songs were adapted from earlier compositions
As Lagaan marks 25 years since its release, A.R. Rahman has reflected on how the Oscar-nominated film became a turning point not only for Indian cinema but also for his own career.
The acclaimed composer said the success of the period drama helped take Indian film music to a wider audience and opened up international opportunities that followed in the years after the film’s Academy Awards recognition.
Directed by Ashutosh Gowariker and starring Aamir Khan, Lagaan was released in 2001 and went on to become one of the most celebrated films in Indian cinema. The film was re-released in theatres across India on June 12 to mark its silver jubilee.
A vision beyond the present
Looking back on the film's music, Rahman said his goal had always been to create work that would endure.
He explained that from the beginning of his career, he paid close attention not only to composition but also to sound production, presentation, mastering and preservation, with the aim of ensuring that the music would remain relevant for future generations.
Rahman said this commitment sometimes meant turning down projects, but he believed it was important to raise the global profile of Indian music and make it accessible to audiences around the world.
How Lagaan opened international doors
According to Rahman, Lagaan played a major role in expanding the international reach of Indian film music.
The film's global visibility and Oscar nomination helped bring him to the attention of filmmakers outside India, leading to opportunities on projects such as the Chinese historical epic Warriors of Heaven and Earth and later international productions including Elizabeth: The Golden Age.
The film was nominated in the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 74th Academy Awards, a rare achievement for an Indian production at the time.
Rahman recalled that Gowariker approached him for Lagaan without a rigid musical blueprint, allowing the soundtrack to develop naturally as the project evolved.
The collaboration proved highly successful and laid the foundation for future partnerships on films including Swades, Jodhaa Akbar and Mohenjo Daro.
For Lagaan, Rahman worked alongside lyricist Javed Akhtar and a stellar line-up of singers that included Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan.
The surprising story behind the songs
Rahman also revealed that two of the soundtrack’s most beloved tracks, Mitwa and O Rey Chhori, were not originally composed for Lagaan.
Instead, the songs began as earlier compositions before being adapted and incorporated into the film.
Set during British colonial rule, Lagaan tells the story of villagers who challenge their rulers to a high-stakes cricket match in an attempt to avoid oppressive taxes. The film featured an ensemble cast including Gracy Singh, Rachel Shelley, Paul Blackthorne, Suhasini Mulay, Kulbhushan Kharbanda and Rajendra Gupta.
Alongside its Oscar nomination, Lagaan won several major honours, including the Best Popular Film award at the 49th National Film Awards, cementing its place as one of Indian cinema’s defining achievements.
