Aamir Khan reveals his ‘Big Fights’ with Ashutosh Gowariker on “Lagaan” set

Khan questioned why his character, Bhuvan, remained clean-shaven despite the drought setting.
Gowariker urged Khan to ignore the logical details, leading to heated arguments.
Khan eventually agreed to maintain his appearance, despite feeling upset.

The 2001 classic “Lagaan” remains one of the most acclaimed films in Aamir Khan’s career. However, during filming, he frequently clashed with director Ashutosh Gowariker over what he saw as a “lack of logic” in the storyline. One of his major concerns was why his character stayed clean-shaven despite the plot being set against the backdrop of water scarcity.

In a recent interview with “Just Too Filmy”, Aamir Khan revealed that he struggled to understand why his character, Bhuvan, appeared clean-shaven in “Lagaan”, which was set during a drought. He recalled asking director Ashutosh Gowariker how Bhuvan managed to shave despite the water scarcity.

However, Ashutosh reportedly urged Aamir to ignore such logical details. Aamir recalled engaging in heated arguments with the director, emphasizing that a clean-shaven look in such conditions would have angered the villagers given the dire situation.

The “PK” actor admitted that he never fully understood the reasoning behind the decision and shared Ashutosh’s response when he voiced his concerns.

Aamir revealed that Gowariker preferred his look and wanted him to maintain that appearance in the film, disregarding the logic behind it. Although Aamir eventually agreed, he admitted feeling quite upset about the decision.

To reach a compromise, he started shaving at night, ensuring a slight shadow appeared by the time he arrived on set. He admitted feeling frustrated on days he forgot to shave the night before. However, he acknowledged that this concern might have been mostly in his mind, as he wasn’t sure if the audience even noticed the detail.

Lagaan, released in 2000, marked a turning point in Khan’s career. He followed it with “Dil Chahta Hai”, an influential film that pioneered realistic storytelling about modern-day characters in Hindi cinema.

In a recent interview, Aamir reflected on this phase and mentioned that the success of “Lagaan” and “Dil Chahta Hai” changed how the industry perceived him. As they struggled to find a more fitting description, they eventually labeled him a “perfectionist.”