Ashutosh Gowariker’s 2001 seminal period sports drama Lagaan, starring Aamir Khan, completely changed both the life and career of actor Amin Hajee, who played Bagga, the temple drummer, in the movie. Last week, he attended the film’s 25th anniversary celebrations, hosted by Aamir Khan Productions, in Mumbai, accompanied by his daughters and wife Charlotte Whitby-Coles, whom he met for the first time on the movie’s set.
Amin Hajee recalled recently that he met his wife Charlotte, thanks to her brother Jamie, who starred in Lagaan as a member of the British cricket team. “My brother-in-law today, Jamie, at that time was playing county cricket. They tested him and they liked him. He is 6’5″ tall. So they told him you are on,” recounted Amin.
Since the makers also wanted a number of British extras as the audience for the climactic cricket match, they asked Jamie to get the women of his family along. “They said, ‘We will pay for their tickets, we will even give them a stipend. We want them to sit for those two weeks in the pavilion with the parasols and those period costumes. Like the wives and family members of the English cast,’” Amin told PTI.
Charlotte, 23 then, had just finished her education in anthropology, and so wanted to explore the specimens in Bhuj, Gujarat, where Lagaan was shot. “She saw me and she thought, ‘Ye odd hai. Ye specimen ko mujhe research karna hai thoda.’ Aur ispe jo research ho raha hai, 26 saal ho gaye aur aaj wo abhi tak bechari 3 guna Lagaan bhar rahi hai (This is odd. I need to do some research on this specimen. And that research has been going on for 26 years now, and poor thing, she’s still paying three times the Lagaan),” added Amin.
Charlotte, Amin Hajee, and their daughters at the 25th anniversary celebration of Lagaan.
How Charlotte shaped Amin Hajee’s career
After the two dated and tied the knot, Charlotte relocated to India, and the two continue to live in the hills with their daughters, Summer and Sky, whom they homeschool. She was also instrumental in shaping his career, particularly during the rough patch after Lagaan, when he refused to settle for lesser roles, claiming that the film “completely destroyed” his career.
“I didn’t even want to act. I was getting offers, but neither the script nor my character arrived even a mile near Lagaan. At one point, Ashutosh and my wife Charlotte asked me, ‘Then what will you do from now on?’ So I said, ‘You tell me,’ because I didn’t want to do this,” confessed Amin. “I basically didn’t want to spoil the respect I had earned. Plus, I’m not a great actor. I managed to give a good performance thanks to Lagaan’s script, director, and the team. They all helped me,” added the actor.
Seeing how concerned Charlotte was by Amin’s condition, Gowariker offered him to co-write his 2004 seminal film Swades with him. “If you want to build a family, you’ll have to earn something,” Gowariker told him. That opened doors for Amin, who went on to co-write Vikram Bhatt’s horror films Haunted 3D (2011) and Dangerous Ishq (2012), before making his directorial debut with the 2021 psychological thriller Koi Jaane Na, starring Kunal Kapoor and Amyra Dastur.
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Amin Hajee played Bagga in Lagaan.
Amin Hajee on how Charlotte’s blended into his life in India
A few years ago, Amin Hajee took to his Instagram handle to share a picture from his and Charlotte’s wedding on the occasion of his wife’s birthday. “She set me free from the teen gunna turmoil I was paying, with her magical ways of kindness, empathy, and warmth. Charlotte’s been here in India now for longer than she was in Bristol; she’s learned Hindi, understands Marathi, and loves the Indian inside me,” wrote Amin.
“Woh hass ke teen guna Lagaan chuka rahi hai (She’s smiling and paying three times the Lagaan), while she multitasks with unschooling our girls, Summer & Sky, and works and believes in the World Pickleball League. Kaun kehta hai aasmaan mein ched nahi ho sakta? Ek achhi soulmate theek se dhundoo, mere yaaron (Who says nothing is impossible? Find the right soulmate, my friends, and anything can happen). HBD 2 U, my soulmate, my sunshine. Stay blessed, meri jaan,” added the actor-turned-filmmaker.
Not the only Lagaan romance
Last week, Amin Hajee and Charlotte shared a joint Instagram post of them posing with their daughters on the red carpet at the 25th anniversary celebration of Lagaan in Mumbai. “Thanks (folded hands emoji) Lagaan for your greatest gift (heart with a bow emoji),” wrote Amin in the caption. However, Amin isn’t the only actor who found love on the sets of Lagaan.
Of course, Aamir Khan worked with Kiran Rao on the film, the latter being an assistant director. While Aamir was married to Reena Dutta then, they split up a couple of years later in 2002. Aamir began dating Kiran in 2004, tied the knot in 2005, and became parents to son Azad via surrogacy in 2011. However, they split up in 2021. Aamir is now all set to marry his partner of two years, Gauri Spratt, on July 6.
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Even Amin’s brother-in-law Jamie got married on the sets of Lagaan. “My wife’s brother Jamie got married to his girlfriend Catherine. So, she and Jamie married on our set in the same mandir my character Baghaa lives as the temple drummer. Reena Dutta and Aamir Khan were the mother and father who gave the bride away, and the entire baraat was the Lagaan cast and crew. We have gotten some great moments and memories. It was magical,” recalled Amin.
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