00:00Some of it's still in my head.
00:01British Raj, Hindustan, Ke Barish Si, Nahi Nahata Rajasi, Pichle Saal Adalagaan, Dada Dada Dada.
00:08Lagaan changed the direction of my life because it was nominated for the best foreign language category as it was
00:15then in the Oscars.
00:18In 2002 I met Amir and one of those people you walk in the room and you think,
00:28Oh wow, he's cool.
00:31How did you get offered film Lagaan?
00:34Well, I am originally from England. I grew up in the small towns of England.
00:39Then I went to London when I was 18 where it was much more interesting.
00:44And whilst in London in 1999 I received a call from my agent saying,
00:50Would you like to audition for a Bollywood film?
00:52And I said, what about it? A Bollywood film?
00:55Oh yes, that's right. What are they? Yes, Bollywood.
00:58And I did audition for it and I did receive the role and I met Amir.
01:07And one of those people you walk in the room and you think, Oh wow, he's cool.
01:14And this amazing man of grace.
01:20And yeah, he offered me the role and I was very fortunate to receive it.
01:23Lagaan changed the direction of my life because it was nominated for the best foreign language category as it was
01:30then in the Oscars.
01:33In 2002 I ended up living in Los Angeles for the next 20 years.
01:40So it had a major effect on my life and I was very fortunate to do a lot of American
01:48television and film after that.
01:50But it was all a result of Lagaan and the way that landed in Hollywood.
01:57Filming in India?
01:58Like filming nowhere else. I mean, Gujarat. It's a pretty harsh environment, isn't it?
02:05It's dry. It's hot, arid, rocky. Yeah, it's quite a hostile environment.
02:15Various storms of locusts, dust storms, tornadoes. You know, it was crazy. It was very hot.
02:23But for me, I love traveling to places in the world you don't necessarily, you wouldn't necessarily go to like
02:30as a tourist.
02:31So to see life like that around Bhuj where we were and staying in that area was truly fascinating.
02:37And I enjoyed every minute of it. As hard as it was, it was an incredible experience.
02:41How much learning in Hindi?
02:44About four months, yes.
02:46How was that experience?
02:47Oh, walk in the park.
02:51It was, yeah, I had to work hard on it.
02:53It was, it was, it was challenging.
02:57I had a very, very good teacher in London.
03:01Some of it's still in my head.
03:02British Raj, Hindustan ke Barish si nahi nahata raja si.
03:06Pichle saal ada Lagaan da da da da da da.
03:09It just won't go. It's there.
03:12But yeah, it was challenging, but it was, it was, it was fun.
03:15How do you see Amir Khan both as an actor and as an person?
03:22I mean, truly great.
03:27I mean, truly one of the greatest humans I've ever met and known and been in the presence of.
03:33He, uh, he sort of just transcends everything.
03:36He has a way of doing things right and I admire him hugely.
03:39Last time I was in India was in 2008.
03:42And Amir very kindly put on a, well, it was a surprise party.
03:45I had no idea it was happening.
03:46Um, so I saw a lot of them then.
03:49Uh, but yeah, it's still, what, 18 years.
03:52So, um, yeah, it was great to see everybody, you know?
03:55Absolutely.
03:57Uh, talk about the old memories.
04:00Team Goona Lagaan.
04:02Thank you, sir.
04:04You may have a great day.
04:06Thank you, sir.
04:11Thank you, sir.
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