Amin Hajee says Aamir Khan’s Lagaan 'destroyed' him: 'Bagha' reveals how the role left him struggling financially

In a recent conversation with Siddharth Kanan, actor and writer Amin Hajee opened up about the professional and financial struggles he faced after starring in the critically acclaimed film Lagaan. Hajee, who played Bagha in the Aamir Khan-led period drama, revealed that he turned down several acting offers because he felt they did not match the quality of work he had experienced with the film.

The actor said Lagaan set an exceptionally high benchmark for the kind of projects he wanted to pursue afterwards. However, his decision to wait for better opportunities left him without consistent work and also became a source of frustration for his wife, Charlotte Whitby-Coles.

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Amin Hajee reveals why he rejected acting offers after Lagaan

According to Amin Hajee, his wife Charlotte Whitby-Coles often questioned his decision to reject work after Lagaan. She wanted him to continue taking up projects rather than wait for another role that matched the quality of the Aamir Khan film.

“She was angry with me because I wasn’t signing any more work after Lagaan,” he said.

Charlotte also recalled how Hajee would respond when he was offered new roles. She said he often dismissed projects after hearing their narrations.

“After Lagaan, whenever a role came, he would say, ‘This role is rubbish,’ or ‘That’s no good,’ and so on. So I told him, ‘What are we going to do? You have to work. You have to take up some work.’”

Why Amin Hajee says Lagaan 'destroyed' him

Hajee has previously described himself as being “destroyed” after Lagaan, explaining that the film was such a rare opportunity that the projects offered to him afterwards failed to match its impact.

“To be honest, Lagaan was a unique script. It was a once-in-a-lifetime thing. I was fortunate enough to get Lagaan, but whatever offers or narrations I received after that were zero compared to it. So I was destroyed after Lagaan, because I simply couldn’t work after that. Actually, you can say that they gave me a Taj Mahal like Lagaan; they gave me an opportunity like Swades to write. They gave me a friend like Aamir Khan. What could I have done after that?”

The actor said the period was also difficult financially. Living in a major city, he explained, came with considerable expenses and lifestyle pressures. “Everything here costs money,” he said.

Amin Hajee recalls struggling with money

Hajee revealed that there was a time when he could not afford even basic clothes. He said the cost of maintaining a household in a big city added to the financial pressure he was already experiencing.

“I didn’t have money to buy a good shirt and pants. Upkeep in big cities is too much. You won’t have enough money for household expenses, but you still want a big car. That’s the kind of lifestyle you see in cities.”

However, Charlotte said the couple's relatively simple approach to life helped them navigate those difficult years. She said neither of them was particularly interested in luxury possessions.

“We are also quite simple in the way we think. I’m not someone who loves diamonds or jewellery, and he is not someone who likes Gucci or anything like that.”

Amin Hajee talks about pressure to provide for his family

Hajee later found financial stability while working with filmmaker Vikram Bhatt. He earned well through their association and worked on projects including Haunted 3D and 1920: The Evil Returns.

However, he eventually stepped away from that work to focus on a story he had written himself. That decision once again brought financial uncertainty, but Hajee felt compelled to pursue his creative ambition.

“When I was writing with Vikram Bhatt, I was earning well. I did quite a lot of work with him. I am a husband, and my culture tells me that I have to earn. There is a lot of pressure on men, actually. I am a failure as a man because I never really had money. I was never able to earn consistently. I have seen some very difficult days.”

Eight years went into making Koi Jaane Na

Hajee spent eight years developing Koi Jaane Na, a psychological thriller that eventually marked his directorial debut. The 2021 film featured Kunal Kapoor and Amyra Dastur in the lead roles.

During the lengthy process of developing the film, Hajee began to question whether leaving his work with Vikram Bhatt had been the right decision.

“I had written my own story, Koi Jaane Na. I spent eight years making it. One day, I told her, ‘I made a mistake by leaving Vikram’s work. We don’t even have money right now.’”

Charlotte Whitby-Coles stood by Amin Hajee

Despite the financial difficulties, Charlotte encouraged Hajee to continue working towards his dream instead of allowing money worries to derail the project.

“Don’t worry about how much we have or don’t have. We are managing with whatever we have. You work. You have to fulfil your dream, so focus on that.”

She also reminded Hajee that he did not have to carry the responsibility of providing for the family alone.

“She used to say, ‘Why do you think you are the only provider for me? Why are you putting that pressure on yourself to be the provider? I am with you too. If you don’t bring money home today, I will do something. I will earn it’. Charlotte stood by me like a rock, through the bad times and the good times.”

Amin Hajee and Charlotte Whitby-Coles live in Panchgani, Maharashtra, with their two daughters. Hajee's most recent film as a writer-director is Koi Jaane Na, which was released in 2021.


Inputs from TOI