Paul Blackthorne He has revealed that he knew very little about cricket when he played captain Andrew Russell in Aamir Khan’s ‘Lagaan’. Looking back 25 years after the film’s release, the British actor said clever editing and a patient crew helped convince him with the slot.He also recalled that he suffered from heatstroke after falling asleep for almost three hours during filming.
Paul Blackthorne admits he struggled with cricket
In an exclusive interview with India Today, Blackthorne laughed when asked if his cricketing skills matched his character.“No, I’m absolutely terrible,” he admitted.The production team adjusted the way they shot their batting scenes. In the final footage as a fast bowler charged towards him, a crew member gently tossed the ball to Blackthorne while filming his close-ups.He recalled being asked to “try and hit this” as the crew patiently worked through their limited cricketing ability. Blackthorne joked that he would never have gotten the role on the strength of his athletic skills.Blackthorne played Captain Russell, an arrogant British officer who challenges the drought-stricken townspeople of Champaner to a cricket match. If the citizens won, they would not have to pay the oppressive agricultural tax, or lagaan, for three years.Aamir Khan played Bhuvan, who accepts the challenge and gathers a group of villagers who are unfamiliar with the game. Gracy Singh played Gauri, while Rachel Shelley played Elizabeth Russell. The film was directed by Ashutosh Gowariker.
The ‘Lagaan’ actor recalls suffering from heatstroke on the set
Blackthorne also spoke about a terrifying incident caused by the intense heat during filming.The cricket pavilion seen in the film also had clothing and wardrobe departments. During a break, Blackthorne hid under some clothes rails and fell asleep there for about three hours.Shortly after waking up, he was called in for a photo session on horseback. Although he initially insisted that he was fine, the photographer noticed that he had begun to slip from the saddle.“I had heat stroke,” Blackthorne recalled, adding that her face turned bright red and she became seriously ill.The actress said she poured water on herself to cool off after spending the evening in the stifling costume space. Looking back humorously, “Andrew Russell deserved to cook.”
More about ‘Lagaan’
Released on June 15, 2001, ‘Lagaan’ combined sports, drama and India’s colonial history. The film was a critical and commercial success and won the Best Foreign Language Film award at the 74th Academy Awards.His final cricket match, where the villagers confront the British officials, remains one of the most memorable sequences in Hindi cinema. The film turned 25 on June 15, 2026.
