Aamir Khan Reveals His Biggest Fight with Ashutosh Gowariker on the Set of Lagaan

Why Aamir questioned the logic of Bhuvan’s clean-shaven look during a drought—and how it sparked major clashes behind the scenes.

More than two decades after Lagaan became a cinematic milestone, Aamir Khan is shedding light on the behind-the-scenes clashes that shaped the film. In a candid conversation with Just Too Filmy, the actor revealed he had intense arguments with director Ashutosh Gowariker over what he considered a glaring inconsistency in his character’s appearance.

Aamir, who portrayed the iconic role of Bhuvan, questioned why his character was clean-shaven throughout the film, despite it being set in a drought-stricken village. “It really bothered me,” Aamir admitted. “I kept asking Ashutosh how Bhuvan found water to shave when the entire village was struggling for survival.” According to the actor, this concern wasn’t just about aesthetics—it was about maintaining authenticity in a story deeply rooted in realism.

However, Gowariker had a different vision. Aamir recalled that the director simply insisted he preferred how Aamir looked without facial hair and didn’t want to compromise on that. “Ashutosh said, ‘I like your look this way. Don’t worry about the logic,’” Aamir revealed. “But I found it difficult to let go of something that seemed so illogical to me.”

Their creative differences led to frequent and sometimes heated debates on set. While Aamir eventually agreed to stay clean-shaven, he found a personal workaround to make peace with the decision. “I started shaving at night,” he explained, “so that by morning, there was a little stubble. It helped me feel better about the character’s believability.”

Despite his frustrations, Aamir confessed that the audience likely didn’t notice the detail that bothered him so much. “Maybe it was all in my head,” he laughed.

Released in 2001, Lagaan was a game-changer for Aamir Khan. It not only earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film but also redefined his standing in Bollywood. Soon after, he starred in Dil Chahta Hai, another groundbreaking film that cemented his reputation as an actor committed to quality storytelling.

Reflecting on this transformative phase of his career, Aamir shared, “After Lagaan and Dil Chahta Hai, people started calling me a perfectionist. I guess they needed a word for how I approach my work.”