Paul Blackthorne reveals his biggest culture shock on sets of 'Lagaan'
Mumbai, June 30
English actor Paul Blackthorne is sharing his fondest memories from the sets of the iconic film 'Lagaan'. The actor spoke withduring the celebrations of the film's 25th anniversary in Mumbai, and shed light on the biggest cultural shock while shooting for the film in India.
Paul essayed the role of Captain Andrew Russell in the film, who proposes the waiver of taxes if the villagers' team manages to win the test match against the English players.
The actor said that the biggest cultural shock for the international actors in the crew was the non-availability of alcohol in Bhuj as Gujarat is a dry state.
He told IANS, "I think the biggest cultural shock for British people on the sets was like, 'Where is the alcohol' given Gujarat is a dry state. We would line up to source alcohol from different places on Saturday night for the celebrations. The environment was very hostile in terms of heat, it was very dry".
When he was told about Aamir Khan missing his bus once during the shoot, he said, "I honestly don't remember Aamir missing the bus. I am sure he had a very good reason for the same because being the producer and not reporting for the shoot on time, I'm sure he must be occupied by something".
"We used to get on the bus at 7:00 a.m. and get under the blanket because it was too cold. It was about 1 hour of drive from our accommodation and once on the sets, we used to get good breakfast including the chai", he added.
'Lagaan' clashed swords with 'Gadar: Ek Prem Katha', and still emerged as one of Indian cinema's biggest hits. It marked a rare occasion where two potboilers registered good box-office collections despite the clash.
— IANS
Reader Comments
I love how Paul remembers the morning bus rides and chai on set. Such simple yet vivid memories. And about the alcohol — well, Bollywood has always had its unique challenges! The fact that they managed to create such a timeless film in those conditions is incredible. Gadar vs Lagaan clash was legendary! 🔥
As an American who has worked on Indian film sets, I can totally relate. The lack of alcohol in Gujarat was a shocker for us too. But you adapt, and the chai and camaraderie more than make up for it. Lagaan's legacy is proof that great art emerges from overcoming challenges.
Paul Blackthorne is such a class act! The way he defended Aamir's possible lateness with grace shows the mutual respect on set. And kudos to the entire team for making Lagaan happen in such harsh conditions — the heat, the dry state, the early mornings. Indian cinema owes a lot to this film for putting us on the global map. 🎬
Interesting to hear a foreign actor's perspective on Indian filmmaking. The dry state policy is indeed a cultural difference that many outsiders find surprising. But what impresses me more is the discipline — 7am bus, hour-long drive, then chai and breakfast on set. That's dedication. Lagaan is a classic for a reason.
Just goes to show that even with all the challenges — no alcohol, extreme heat, long commutes — a great team can still create magic. Lagaan remains one of the few Indian films that transcended borders. The clash with Gadar was epic cinema history
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