‘With Aamir, I have maintained a friendship, and I’m so grateful for that. He’s been so kind and generous throughout these years, whether it’s in Los Angeles, London or here.’
‘Teen guna lagaan.’
Just three words. Yet they landed with the force of a lightning strike, instantly turning Captain Russell into the most hated character in Lagaan.
Twenty-five years later, Lagaan continues to occupy a special corner in the hearts of film lovers. The Ashutosh Gowariker directorial is celebrating its silver jubilee this year, a milestone that also marks 25 years of Aamir Khan’s very first production venture.
To commemorate the occasion, Paul Blackthorne travelled to India to join the cast and crew in revisiting the film’s remarkable journey.
The British actor reflects on his time working on the epic, which remains his only foray into Indian cinema. Perhaps that’s why the memories seem so vivid even now.
As the conversation unfolds, his enthusiasm is hard to miss. One story leads to another. A recollection sparks a fresh anecdote. He laughs at forgotten moments, and speaks with the kind of energy that suggests the experience still means a great deal to him.
“The Indian people, when they go, ‘Oh my God, it’s Captain Russell,’ it’s usually an affectionate hatred. They might have hated my character, but it was always with affection,” Blackthrone tells Mayur Sanap/Rediff.
‘Always Knew Lagaan Would Be Special’
I remember everyone working very hard, (there was) a sense of commitment and conviction from everybody, starting with Ashutosh (Gowariker) and Aamir (Khan) and this drive, this faith, this belief that they had in the project, and how that permeated through everybody, through all the actors, heads of department.
Just this energy sensing, hang on, I think there’s something good happening here. I remember one time Aamir said A R Rahman is coming, he’s going to put some speakers in the cricket field and play the music.
I wonder what the music is going to sound like.
I remember sitting there and just thinking, oh my gosh, wow. That was the moment I thought, ‘Wow, this is special.’
Then the big moment happens when you’ve worked on a project and you see the poster for the first time. One was sent to us in London, and I remember we all sat there, and rolled it out.
You see all the guys standing there, the cricket players, and then you roll out the poster further and then there’s Aamir’s face. And then you just look at the title: Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India. You just go, oh, this is going to be good. This is going to be a good film.
The scene where Bhuvan is protecting Kachra, the untouchable, when he wants him in the team and the other team members reject it. And then Aamir gives that speech, convincing them why they need to stand with him.
Honestly, that scene just kills me every time.
I think that’s the greatest scene in the film. And Aamir’s performance is incredible.
‘Lagaan‘s Music Is Etched Into My Memory’
The music amazing, isn’t it? So incredible. It’s genius.
The punctuation of the songs on the plot points, the emotion of what’s happening at that time, it’s so brilliantly executed, you know, the tone, the mood of the music, according to the plot point in the film.
I kind of love that sad song, the plaintive one when they think they’re going to lose the cricket match, and the women are singing in the village at night-time (struggles to recall O Paalanhaare).
That’s one of my favourites.
There are many fond memories (from the sets).
There was one scene where we all got the giggles. It’s the worst thing in the world. Because time is money. The clock’s ticking. And you can’t stop laughing.
It was the scene in the ballroom. We were shooting all night, everybody was exhausted.
Every time I see that shot, I’m sure there’s still a twinkle in the back of everybody’s eye that’s just trying to hold it together.
‘People Hated Me With Affection’
I think when most people, the Indian people, when they go, ‘Oh my God, it’s Captain Russell,’ it’s usually an affectionate hatred.
I’ll take anything, any kind of energy. Give it to me.
They might have hated my character, but it was always with affection.
I did a television show called 24 in the US and played a very bad guy on that show.
One time I was sitting in a cafe while that was on television, and one guy walked in the cafe. He saw me, he went, ‘Oh my God, it’s Stephen Saunders.’ And he just ran out. He was literally terrified!
I was like, it’s just a character, it’s an act, I’m an actor! That was truly weird.
‘Learning Hindi For Lagaan Was Challenging’
It was quite challenging to learn Hindi. I had a very good teacher who I sat with for about four months in London.
As much as I had to learn those words, I also had to understand what was being said to me by the other characters in the scene. The delivery of words was challenging.
The thing with acting is that it’s not about the words you’re saying, it’s about listening to the other character. You have to work on the thoughts in your head then push the words out. That’s a leap of faith you have to take. I had to take a kind of double leap of faith, with the Hindi words.
After Lagaan, I ended up in America.
Lagaan got nominated for the Oscars, and I was there during that process with Aamir.
Then I thought, well, I’m in LA, I suppose I’ll pick up the phone and see if I can get some meetings.
I got an agent and a manager very quickly. Then I started working in US television for about 20 years. It was all because of Lagaan that I ended up working there. So, it was Lagaan‘s fault, not mine. (Smiles)
I was so fortunate. I’m so grateful for all that time that was happening.
One day, who knows, I’d love to do another film here.
‘Aamir Khan Is My Friend’
I’m aware of Aamir’s films. I’m literally going to tick-box my way through his films. I had promised myself I would do before, but then got all wrapped up in America.
I want to watch Delhi Belly. I want to watch Dangal. I want to watch 3 Idiots.
My Hindi’s not as good as it used to be but I’m going to plough through these movies.
I do consider Aamir a friend.
When you work on a project, if you get all carried away thinking, oh, I’ll be friends with everybody, I hope everybody likes me, oh, let’s make friends, it’s not about that. You’re all there to work.
Some people, you may develop a friendship while working with them. But then the project finishes and everybody goes off to their next family that they’re working with.
With Aamir, I have maintained a friendship, and I’m so grateful for that. He’s been so kind and generous throughout these years, whether it’s in Los Angeles, London or here.
The thing with Aamir is, forget the movie star thing, he’s just a person with such grace, humility and awareness of what’s going on in the room.
He’s a wonderful human being to watch and observe. I’m fortunate to have spent a lot of time with him.
‘With India, You Look Left And You Will See The Most Amazing Thing You’ve Ever Seen’
When I first came to Mumbai, it was for Lagaan. Before we shot anything, I was just a stranger on the street. My first few days here were just acclimatising. I put on my backpack and went out to travel.
I felt the energy, the electricity in the air, the vibrant nature of it all, and the polarity of experiences that you come across.
I always knew the film had made an impact in this country and globally, but seeing it now, 25 years later, how it’s still celebrated in this beautiful way, it’s extraordinary.
When we finished Lagaan, I put on my backpack and went traveling down to Tamil Nadu and Kerala. That was before the film came out so I could just do whatever.
I love traveling. When I was here in 2008, I was trekking up in the Himalayas in Ladakh.
I always say with India, when you’re traveling, you look left and you will see the most amazing thing you have ever seen in your life. Then you look to the right, and you will see possibly one of the most disturbing things you have seen, whether through poverty or whatever.
The swing from left to right, from good to bad, is shocking, amazing, beautiful, transcendent, horrific. You know, it’s just this maelstrom of sensations.
The world’s become a bit more generic in many places. Everything is smoothing out in a lot of Western places, especially in America. But when you come to places where there’s still such a swirl of different experiences happening on a daily basis, good or bad, it’s certainly something to experience and behold.
‘The Most Beautiful Thing I Experienced in India…’
You’re not going to believe me, because it’s outrageous. When I was here in 2008, I went trekking in Ladakh in the Markha Valley.
I have had photo exhibitions when I had travelled in India after shooting Lagaan.
I thought I’m doing this trip now, going to the Himalayas, I’ll get some great photographs, and have this amazing exhibition.
Within three or four days, I realised I’m actually ruining this trip because all I’m thinking about is these amazing photographs I’m going to take. I thought to myself, can you stop thinking about that and just enjoy these sacred mountains.
So, we camped up once, and I left my camera at the campsite. I walked up the valley to just sit, close my eyes and listen to the mountains. The valley was a sort of shape, so there’s a point in the middle where I could see across one side to the other side.
I had my eyes closed for about 20 minutes, then something compelled me to open my eyes.
Across the ravine was a snow leopard.
I just looked at it, it was moving. I thought, oh, that’s unusual. Then it stopped, and disappeared in the camouflage. I kept looking at the same spot, and it moved again. Then it went around the side and disappeared.
This was the moment I decided to let go of the whole thing with the photography and just experience the mountains.
There are a million photographs of snow leopards, much better than any photograph I’m going to take. But I had this pure moment with one in the mountains like that.
‘When Aamir Asked, ‘Is Everybody Happy With The Food?”
I love the South Indian fish curry. I love South Indian food.
British people have a huge affection for Indian food, and to come here and actually have it is such a treat.
I could eat it morning, noon and night.
There was one time in Lagaan, after the first few weeks, when Aamir asked, ‘Is everybody happy with the food?’
I said, ‘British people love Indian food, but maybe it would be nice to have a little change every so often.’
We came back that night and everybody went into the canteen, lifted the lid and it was pasta.
Everyone went, ‘It’s pasta tonight!’
They started scooping it onto their plates and into their mouths.
Then they stopped and went, ‘It’s pasta curry!’ (Laughs).
It was still delicious.
