Paul Blackthorne has revealed that he knew little about cricket when he played Captain Andrew Russell in Aamir Khan’s Lagaan. Looking back at the film 25 years after its release, the British actor said smart editing and a patient cast helped him look convincing at the crease.He also recalls suffering from heatstroke after sleeping for nearly three hours inside the sweltering fashion area during filming.
Paul Blackthorne admits he had a hard time with cricket
In an exclusive interview with India Today, Blackthorn laughed when asked if his cricket skills match those of his personality.“No, I’m absolutely terrible,” he admitted.The production team modified the way the beating scenes were filmed. While the final footage showed a fast bowler heading towards him, a crew member gently tossed the ball to Blackthorn while filming the parts close to him.He remembers being asked to “try to bat this” while the crew patiently worked around his limited cricketing ability. Blackthorne joked that he would never have gotten the role thanks to his athletic skills.Blackthorne played Captain Russell, an arrogant British officer who challenges the drought-stricken villagers of Champaner to a cricket match. If the villagers win, they will not have to pay the unfair agricultural tax, or lagan, for three years.
Aamir Khan played Bhuvan, who accepts the challenge and assembles a team of villagers unfamiliar with the game. Gracie Singh played Gauri, while Rachel Shelley appeared as Elizabeth Russell. Ashutosh Gowariker directed the film.
The ‘Lagaan’ actor recalls suffering from heatstroke during the shoot
Blackthorne also spoke about a scary incident caused by extreme heat during filming.The cricket pavilion seen in the film also houses the costume and wardrobe departments.
During the break, Blackthorn hid under some clothes rails and slept there for about three hours.Shortly after waking up, he was called to pose for a photo on horseback. Although he initially insisted that he was fine, the photographer noticed that he was starting to slip from the saddle.“I had heatstroke,” Blackthorne recalled, adding that his face turned bright red and he became seriously ill.The actor said he poured water on himself to cool down after spending the afternoon in the hot fashion venue.
Looking back with good humour, he said: “Andrew Russell deserved to be cooked.”
More about “Lagaan”
Released on June 15, 2001, Lagaan combines sports, drama and India’s colonial history. The film was a major critical and commercial success, and was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 74th Academy Awards.The final cricket match, in which the villagers confront the British officers, remains one of the most memorable scenes in Indian cinema. The film completed 25 years on June 15, 2026.
