Veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar revealed he found the Lagaan script atrocious and doubted its success, but Aamir Khan's confidence proved right as the film became a massive hit.
Javed Akhtar dismissively called Lagaan "atrocious" for its period setting and cricket-centric narrative, but Aamir Khan's conviction prevailed. The film became an Oscar-nominated masterpiece, proving unconventional vision can prevail against industry skepticism.
Javed Akhtar was skeptical about 'Lagaan'
Jun 14, 2026
02:15 pm
What's the storyAt a recent event celebrating 25 years of Aamir Khan Productions, legendary lyricist Javed Akhtar shared his initial skepticism about the blockbuster film Lagaan.
He described the script as "atrocious" and felt it had many unconventional elements that wouldn't resonate with audiences.
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