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Lagaan (2001) still remains fresh for its rooted storytelling, unforgettable characters and emotional depth. And in this nostalgic throwback conversation, Gracy Singh takes us behind the scenes of this historic film, sharing memories from the challenging shoot under harsh sunlight, late-night setups, emotional scenes, favourite songs and the journey of bringing her character to life. Where she also opens up about her bond with Aamir Khan and the unforgettable experience of being part of one of India’s most celebrated Academy Award-nominated films. But there’s much more to the story than what we saw onscreen… catch the full conversation only on Lehren.

#aamirkhan #gracysingh #lagaan #lagaanmovie #amirkhan #aamirkhanfilm #ashutoshgowariker #throwback #lehren #lehrenpodcast #lehren

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Transcript
00:00Ouri chori, maan bile, bat mori, mani pyaar tujji se hai kia
00:09Though I was very nervous while doing the screen test with Aamir
00:12But I don't know, maybe by luck that I suited that role
00:15And then I became more serious about acting
00:17Before that I was just doing it as a hobby
00:19Not extremely hardworking
00:21So obviously it was extremely difficult
00:24And it was a great adventure for me
00:26Now there is nothing more difficult in life
00:29What I have experienced in Lagaan
00:31Everything else is easy for me
00:34How do you think about Lagaan's offer?
00:43I never planned to get into films
00:46And I would have happily continued with my television
00:50Till now, forever
00:52Only when I met Mr. Joshi
00:54Who is a very senior person
00:56He has been working for the past 35 years
00:58And he called me up for another serial with Mr. Ravi Chopra
01:03So there when he saw me doing a classical dance piece for their historical drama
01:08He told me that I should be trying for the films and not serials
01:13So I would like to give him the credit that he worked very hard to promote me
01:17And to get me into films
01:18Because it was quite impossible for somebody who is doing television
01:24So that's how he introduced me to Mr. Ashitosh Guharikar
01:28And I got selected for the film
01:31When you listened to Kalima's script, what reaction was your reaction?
01:34I mean, the opposite of Aamir Khan
01:37Just when I did the screen test, I knew it's going to be a classic film
01:43And since I've been a huge fan of Aamir Khan, so obviously I was thrilled
01:49And though I was very nervous while doing the screen test with Aamir
01:52But I don't know, maybe by luck that I suited that role
01:56And then I became more serious about acting
01:59Before that, I was just doing it as a hobby
02:01And I was never very, not extremely hardworking
02:05You know, like in serials, even if we were not very punctual
02:09Or we made a lot of mistakes
02:10The director would really pamper all of us
02:13Or he would probably make a joke about it
02:16But film was completely well planned
02:19It was, there was so much of discipline and hard work involved
02:25From each and every person in the unit
02:28So that was a good learning experience for me
02:32What was the most memorable scene?
02:35There were so many difficult scenes when we were shooting
02:39Because of the weird weather conditions
02:41The dust and the heat
02:43The sunlight was so harsh that I couldn't even open my eyes in front of the camera
02:46That I'll always remember because it was so tough to enact those emotions
02:53And very comfortable scenes were when they were shooting in, you know, after sunlight
03:00That scene I really enjoyed
03:02And I still remember
03:04Because it was comfortable to perform
03:07And that one scene in which Gauri supports Bhuvan
03:14That was my most favourite scene in the film
03:23He's very down-to-earth, very sweet
03:25And great co-actor
03:28Even when I was doing serials
03:30I never saw any actor giving the own cues
03:32The cues to the other actors to perform better
03:35But here Amir was so much involved in each and every detail
03:38That he himself used to stand behind the camera to give the cues
03:42So that we get better reactions
03:44With each and every actor
03:47He was involved in every department of the filmmaking
03:51So it was great
03:53The first shot that you did for Lagann
03:55The first time when you faced the camera for Lagann
03:56And the last time
03:58Yeah
03:58How, I mean, how improved did you find yourself as an actress?
04:01We were completely exhausted by the end of it
04:04The first shot that we gave
04:06Obviously I was very excited
04:07I was dying to give the shot
04:09So I felt that that was the best shot
04:11But by the end of it
04:13It was too much difficulty
04:15And there was a lot of problems
04:18Because of a long schedule
04:21I'm sure even Amirji must have felt
04:24That it should get over as soon as possible
04:27It was a four month schedule
04:28But it got extended to six months
04:30Because of the weather conditions
04:32They were shooting in a natural light
04:34So they had to depend on the sunlight
04:36That is why we had such schedules
04:38Like from morning
04:39Early mornings to late evenings
04:42So obviously it was extremely difficult
04:44And it was a great adventure
04:46For me
04:47Now there is nothing more difficult in life
04:50What I have experienced in Lagann
04:53Everything else is easy for me
04:56What's your favorite song?
04:58I love all the songs
05:00But the most favorite I think is Ori Chori
05:03Because it's got a beautiful blending of English and Hindi lyrics
05:08And it's very unique
05:09So I like that song
05:11Ori Chori
05:13Maan Bhele
05:14Baat Mori
05:17Manei Pyaar
05:18Tujji Se Hai Kia
05:21Ho
05:22Manei Tujh Koi Maana Hai Pia
05:27Lagaan ke baar
05:27Itna gap ho gaya
05:28I mean
05:29There's no film coming out recently
05:31What's been the reason basically?
05:34Now when I started my career
05:36With a film like Lagaan
05:38Obviously my expectations were high
05:39That it should be even better
05:41Than the script of Lagaan
05:43But every film cannot be like Lagaan
05:47So I took little time
05:49To choose the right kind of projects
05:53I got a lot of interesting films
05:56But the kind of roles I was looking for was performance oriented
06:00An interesting story
06:02That's the reason it took little bit time
06:04It got delayed
06:05But I'm happy that now
06:06Whatever I'm doing that compensated for that
06:08The gap
06:10The time gap
06:14Do people have an image of you as a typical village girl
06:17Do you want to break your image in
06:19I have no complaint
06:21I have no complaint in any sort of image
06:24Even if they think that I'm
06:26You know
06:27Suited more in an Indian role
06:29That's okay by me
06:30I like doing Indian roles
06:33But
06:35Now
06:35The other film
06:37I'm playing a very modern
06:38And a teenage
06:39College student
06:40Which is just for my creative satisfaction
06:43It's not because of
06:45I want to prove anything to anybody
06:46It's just for myself
06:49And
06:50But I would definitely love to do some Indian
06:54Classical numbers
06:55And simple Indian
06:57You know
06:57You can identify with those kind of characters
06:59I would love to play
07:01After Lagaan began being a big hit
07:03You were doing serious
07:04Yeah
07:04So you all posted
07:06That Casey Singh from Lagaan is in serious again
07:11What do you have to say about that?
07:12Right
07:12I had gone out
07:13For the shows of Lagaan
07:16We had gone to US and Canada
07:18And when I got back
07:19I saw all the hoardings of
07:22TV serials
07:23And
07:23You know
07:24They had put my picture
07:24Saying that
07:25You watch Gracie Singh after Lagaan
07:26And that was horrible
07:27You know
07:28It was absolutely unfair on their part
07:30Just to promote their serial
07:32They should not
07:33Try to destroy somebody's
07:35Career
07:36But
07:37Then I think
07:38Mr. Joshi sorted out
07:39Politely
07:40We thought
07:41We decided to sue them
07:42But
07:43We didn't
07:45What's going to be your ideal role
07:46In like
07:47Anything of
07:48Own movies
07:49Of a particular actress
07:50Which you think
07:51You should fit in
07:52And you want to do it
07:55I always remember this one role
07:57Of Shri Devi in Lamhe
07:59That I would love to do
08:00Because it's also my dream
08:02To work with Mr. Yash Chopra
08:03He's my most favourite director
08:05The way he projects beauty
08:07And love in his films
08:08Is amazing
08:10So that will be the ideal role
08:11I think for me
08:14How to perform
08:14What's up
08:14To do it
08:16And you know
08:16She's not
08:16That's a real
08:16We were
08:16To do it
08:17And you know
08:18How do you
08:24How do you
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