Amin Hajee on Lagaan's Impact: 'It Destroyed Me' in an Unexpected Way

A quarter century after Lagaan became one of Indian cinema's most celebrated films, actor and filmmaker Amin Hajee has made a candid admission about the impact the movie had on his career. While the Aamir Khan-starrer opened doors for many associated with it, Hajee says it "destroyed" him in an unexpected way. Speaking to PTI, Hajee, who played the memorable mute drummer Bagha in director Ashutosh Gowariker's 2001 epic sports drama, said the film set such a high benchmark that nothing he received afterward could match it. "The truth is, Lagaan destroyed me," Hajee said, before quoting lines from legendary singer-composer Jagjit Singh's famous ghazal Hazaron Khwahishein Aisi to explain his feelings. Despite receiving acting offers after the film's success, Hajee said none of the scripts or characters came close to the depth and quality of Lagaan. "Once Lagaan was done... I didn't even want to act. I was getting offers, but neither the script nor my character arrived even a mile near Lagaan. At one point, Ashutosh and my wife Charlotte asked me, 'Then what will you do from now on?' So I said, 'You tell me,' because I didn't want to do this," he recalled.

Wife Charlotte pushed him to find a new direction

Hajee revealed that his wife Charlotte was concerned about him sitting at home and turning down projects after Lagaan. It was this concern, coupled with Gowariker's faith in him, that eventually led him toward writing. Recalling the filmmaker's words, Hajee said, "Ashu told me, 'Charlotte is upset that you are not doing anything and sitting at home. If you want to build a family, you'll have to earn something.'" He added that when Gowariker suggested he join him as a co-writer on what was then called Desh—later made as the acclaimed 2004 film Swades—he was stunned by the offer. "I asked, 'Ashu, every writer in the world would give their right arm to work with you, and you're asking me?' He replied, 'You're a great bouncing board. You're honest, and I have narrated scripts to you. You have worked on Lagaan with me, given me your reactions. I think you'll do a great job.'"

Fear of not living up to Bagha's legacy

Hajee admitted that he was reluctant to accept projects because he did not want to dilute the respect he had earned through Lagaan. "I basically didn't want to spoil the respect I had earned. Plus, I'm not a great actor. I managed to give a good performance thanks to Lagaan's script, director, and the team. They all helped me," he said. The actor further revealed that he feared being exposed on other film sets and worried that people would realise he was not as talented as they believed.

How Aamir Khan and Ashutosh Gowariker helped him reinvent himself

According to Hajee, the project was being backed by Aamir Khan Productions at the time, and Aamir Khan immediately supported Gowariker's idea of bringing him on board. "Aamir said, 'It's a good idea, Amin is good. And take Charlotte with you because she also helps him.' So that's what happened," Hajee said. The opportunity marked a turning point in his professional life. While he gradually moved away from acting, he established himself as a writer and later a filmmaker.

'Lagaan became a university for me'

Reflecting on his journey, Hajee said Lagaan ultimately gave him much more than a memorable acting role. "Because of Lagaan and Ashutosh, I became a writer. Then, by the grace of the universe, I directed my first film, Koi Jaane Na. So, Lagaan has really been a great university for me. It didn't teach me about other things; it taught me about cinema," he said. Apart from co-writing Swades, Hajee also worked as a writer on Haunted – 3D and Dangerous Ishq, both directed by Vikram Bhatt. He later made his directorial debut with Koi Jaane Na in 2021, proving that while Lagaan may have altered the course of his acting career, it ultimately opened new doors in storytelling and filmmaking.