Ashutosh had rejected Big B as narrator of 'Lagaan'

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan was rejected as a voiceover for 'Lagaan' by Ashutosh Gowariker because the director felt that Big B's voice was too familiar to transport the audience to the 1893 where the film was set

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan was rejected as a voiceover for 'Lagaan' by Ashutosh Gowariker because the director felt that Big B's voice was too familiar to transport the audience to the 1893 where the film was set

This was revealed by actor-producer Aamir Khan last night at a party to celebrate 10 years of 'Lagaan' and completion of a decade of his production house Aamir Khan Productions. In the presence of Bachchan, Aamir recalled that after initially getting a positive response from the megastar that he would dub for the movie as a narrator, Ashutosh felt that the Bollywood legend's voice was too familiar to the audience and his aim of taking the audience to the period of 1893 would fail from the first scene itself.


A scene from Lagaan (2001)

"I was shocked and argued with Ashutosh why this had not struck him before asking me to go and meet Amitji. But, Amitji took it so sportingly and told me that he was relieved since all films for which he had done a voiceover had miserably flopped," Aamir said. However, Ashutosh again changed his mind and decided finally it would be Amitabh Bachchan only for the voice over, Aamir said.

"I again went to Amitji and told him that my director has gone mad. He now wants you for the film. Amitji did not utter a word but reminded me that he was superstitious and felt that he brought bad luck. I said we are ready to take the risk because so many factors had gone against the film during the making but we had overcome all the difficulties."

Aamir said he was sure Bachchan had not liked the movie when he saw it for the first time. Bachchan on his part did not answer Aamir's question about what he had felt about the film when he first saw it. "The climax was not ready and the film had not been edited then. But, at the first screening after the film was ready, I felt popular sport of cricket was beautifully mixed with the story of how a bunch of villagers had risen unitedly against their oppressors," he added.

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