Javed Akhtar calls Lagaan's O Paalanhaare the most challenging song of his career: 'As an atheist, I had to surrender'

Javed akhtar on Lagaan (Pic/Google Images)

Aamir Khan is preparing to mark a major milestone as one of his most celebrated films, Lagaan, is clocking 25 years. While he is set to host a grand celebration reuniting the cast and crew, the makers and musicians sat down for a candid chat and recalled fond memories from the film. Lyricist Javed Akhtar revealed that O Paalanhaare remains the most challenging song he has ever written.

Javed Akhtar on O Paalanhaare

The team sat down for a session hosted by Meiyang Chang, during which Akhtar revisited the soundtrack and revealed, "When people ask me which is the one song I found a challenge to write, I always say it's ‘O Paalanhaare'," he said. Akhtar explained that Rahman's composition possessed such a universal sense of devotion that anyone could immediately identify its spiritual nature. "Even as an atheist, I had to find innocence and surrender in my heart. You can't write such songs with tact and craft; it can only be done with purity and simplicity." Rahman said, "I wanted to make the music timeless, and luckily it has become that."

Looking back at the soundtrack, Aamir Khan revealed that Ghanan Ghanan was the first song from the film that he heard, and it immediately left a lasting impression on him. "This was the first song of the film that I heard, and it blew me away. It was a very important song because it had to set the tone by establishing the importance of water for the rest of the movie," Aamir was quoted as saying by The Hollywood Reporter India.

About 25 years of Lagaan

The Oscar-nominated film, directed by Ashutosh Gowariker, is set to complete 25 years on June 15. To mark the occasion, Lagaan will re-release in theatres on June 12 as part of the anniversary festivities. Aamir Khan is set to host a Lagaan reunion as the film completes 25 years. According to Bollywood Hungama, the event will reportedly include not just the lead and supporting actors but also technicians, crew members, and others who contributed to the making of the film.

Released in 2001, Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India was directed by Ashutosh Gowariker. Starring Aamir Khan in the lead, the film has an ensemble cast including Gracy Singh, British actors Rachel Shelley and Paul Blackthorne, Suhasini Mulay, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Rajendra Gupta, Raghubir Yadav, and many more.