Lagaan Star Yashpal Sharma Reveals Why He Liked Lakha More Than Aamir Khan’s Bhuvan

Yashpal Sharma is a well-known actor who has played many memorable roles in Hindi cinema. He is best known for his portrayal of Lakha, the traitor-turned-hero in the Oscar-nominated film Lagaan, starring Aamir Khan.

But did you know that Yashpal Sharma liked Lakha more than Aamir Khan’s character Bhuvan, and that he was ready to do the film for a meagre amount of Rs 20,000? Here are some interesting facts about the actor and his experience of working in Lagaan.

How Yashpal Sharma got the role of Lakha

Yashpal Sharma, who hails from a poor background, had a passion for acting since his childhood. He joined the National School of Drama and later moved to Mumbai to pursue his dream of becoming an actor. He struggled for many years and did some small roles in films and television shows. He also worked as a theatre artist and a voice-over artist.

In 2000, he got a call from Ashutosh Gowariker, the director of Lagaan, who offered him the role of Lakha, one of the villagers who joins Bhuvan’s cricket team to challenge the British. Yashpal Sharma was thrilled to get the opportunity and agreed to audition for the role at Aamir Khan’s house. He impressed the actor-producer and got selected for the role.

Why he liked Lakha more than Bhuvan

Yashpal Sharma revealed in a recent interview with Rajshri Unplugged that he liked Lakha’s role more than Aamir Khan’s lead role of Bhuvan, because it had a lot of variations and emotions. He said, “I found Lakha’s role the best in the film. In fact, I loved Lakha’s role more than Aamir Khan’s lead role because it had a lot of variations. Negative, positive, love angle, jealousy – he had all those emotions.” He added that he enjoyed playing the character and that it was a big thing for him to star in Lakha’s role with Aamir Khan.

How much he was paid for the film

Yashpal Sharma also disclosed the remuneration he received for his role in Lagaan and how he negotiated with Reena Dutta, Aamir Khan’s then-wife and one of the producers of the film. He said, “I was thinking about how much should I quote for the film the whole way. I came from a poor background, but I said to myself ‘don’t agree for less than one lakh.’

But at the same time, I was scared that they might take somebody else, so I thought maybe I should ask for Rs 50,000. I was in such a condition that I would have taken up the job even if they would have given me Rs 20,000. However, when I reached the office of Reena ji, she told me that they don’t have much budget and that they are giving Rs 1.5 lakh to everybody and I said, ‘No madam, at least you should give Rs 2 lakh.” I didn’t know what happened in that moment. She agreed and I signed the contract. Later, I was thinking if I would have asked for Rs 5-10 lakh, she would have agreed.”

How the film changed his life

Lagaan, which was released in 2001, was a huge success both critically and commercially. It won several awards, including eight National Film Awards and nine Filmfare Awards. It also became the third Indian film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. The film was praised for its story, direction, music, cinematography, and performances.

Yashpal Sharma’s role of Lakha was also appreciated by the critics and the audience. He said, “Lagaan changed my life. It gave me recognition and respect. It opened many doors for me. I got many offers after that. I am grateful to Aamir Khan and Ashutosh Gowariker for giving me the chance to be a part of such a landmark film.”

Yashpal Sharma went on to act in many other films, such as Gangaajal, Ab Tak Chhappan, Apaharan, Singh Is Kinng, and Rowdy Rathore. He also appeared in some web series, such as Rangbaaz and Criminal Justice. He is currently working on some projects that he hopes to announce soon.

Yashpal Sharma is an example of an actor who followed his passion and achieved his dreams. He is also an example of an actor who loved his character more than the lead role and gave his best performance. He is an inspiration for many aspiring actors who want to make a mark in the industry.

Source: News in Bollywood