Actor Raghubir Yadav, who played Bhura in the 2001 release Lagaan says he enjoyed working on Aamir Khan's magnum opus and wanted to relive the experience after the shoot ended.
"We worked on the project for nearly five months, which helped us live the character for an extended period of time. I really enjoyed the experience as I am from a theatre background. We wanted the shoot to begin all over again once things were wrapped up," he told DH in an exclusive interview.
Lagaan, which turns 20 on Tuesday, was a sports drama set in British India, which revolved around what happens when a group of Indian farmers takes on 'British Raj' in a cricket match to escape 'teen guna lagaan'. The cast learned cricket for the shoot, which proved to be a fairly simple exercise for Yadav.
"Humne toh gilli ganda khela tha bachpan mein so learning cricket wasn't really a challenge. In fact, it was quite easy as there are bowlers involved here. In gilli-danda you have to toss the ball itself," he added.
The Ashutosh Gowariker-directed film featured newcomer Gracy Singh as the leading lady and marked her first collaboration with 'Mr Perfectionist'. The ensemble cast included Yashpal Sharma, Pradeep Rawat, Suhasini Mulay, Paul Blackthorne and Rachel Shelley. It emerged as a big hit at the box office and received rave reviews. A R Rahman's music became popular as it was an integral part of the narrative.
The biggie was India's official entry to the Oscars and earned a nomination. It, however, wasn't able to win the 'Best International Feature Film' award.
Coming back to Yadav, he impressed fans with his work in the web series Panchayat, which was released on a popular streaming platform last year. He was also part of the Arjun Kapoor-starrer Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar.
Khan, on the other hand, is working on Laal Singh Chaddha. This comedy-drama, an adaptation of Forrest Gump, features Kareena Kapoor Khan as the leading lady and it is likely to hit the screens later this year.