Outlandish, implausible and weird -- these were the words Aamir Khan used when Ashutosh Gowariker first narrated the idea of "Lagaan" to him in 1996.
As the Oscar-nominated classic completes 25 years since its release on June 15, 2001, the story of how Khan went from dismissing the project to producing and starring in it remains one of the most remarkable chapters in Indian cinema.
Like "Mughal-E-Azam" and "Sholay", "Lagaan" was once considered financially risky, impractical and too unconventional to make.
The story is detailed in Satyajit Bhatkal's book "The Spirit of Lagaan", which chronicles the making of the 2001 film that went on to become one of Indian cinema's most celebrated productions.
According to the book, the story began in the early hours of July 30, 1996, in the compound of Marina Apartments in Mumbai, where Khan lived. Gowariker, convinced about his idea, narrated it to Khan while the actor leaned against the bonnet of his car.
"The bonnet of a car is probably not the best location to narrate a script idea, but in a way, that's where our story begins," Bhatkal says.
In a few minutes, he outlined a story set in during the British Raj in which drought-hit villagers challenge their colonial rulers to a game of cricket to avoid paying 'lagaan', or land tax. If the villagers won, the tax would be waived; if they lost they would have to pay three times the amount due.
The reaction was far from encouraging.
According to the book, Khan dismissed the premise as "outlandish", "completely implausible" and unlikely to connect with audiences.
He advised Gowariker, whose earlier films had not worked at the box office, to abandon the idea and pursue a safer subject.
The project appeared doomed before it had even taken shape.
Undeterred, Gowariker teamed up with Kumar Dave and Sanjay Dayma and spent months developing the concept into a complete screenplay. Working out of a farmhouse near Mumbai, the trio transformed the basic idea into a full fledged script.
On January 3, 1997, Gowariker returned with the completed screenplay and sought another meeting with Khan.
But even then, the actor initially refused to hear it, believing Gowariker had spent months developing the same story he had already rejected.
After repeated persuasion, Khan reluctantly agreed to a narration.
According to the book, Gowariker approached the session like a performance, drawing on his years in theatre and cinema to bring the story alive.
The narration changed everything.
Khan laughed, sighed and was moved to tears by the script. By the end, he was full of praise for the screenplay and amazed by the idea. Yet he remained uncertain about taking on such an unconventional project.
Calling it an "extremely scary film" to be associated with, Khan suggested that Gowariker first find a producer willing to back the script on its own merit.
He argued that a producer should believe in the story rather than invest merely because he was attached to the project.
Gowariker spent months pitching the screenplay to producers and actors. While several people, including Shah Rukh Khan and Ashok Amritraj, were impressed by the script, the project failed to secure backing.
As producer after producer declined, Khan once again listened to the script and was won over by it.
In what proved to be the final test, he asked Gowariker to narrate the story to his parents, wife Reena and financier Jhamu Sughand.
The response convinced him.
Nearly two years after advising Gowariker to abandon the "weird story about villagers in the Biritish Raj", and more than a year after first admiring the screenplay, Khan finally agreed to both produce and star in the film.
He was prepared to take on the challenge, a move emblematic of how Bhuvan tells Captain Andrew Russel in the movie -- "shart manzoor hai".
It was a decision that would alter the course of his career and become a landmark moment in Indian cinema.
Released on June 15, 2001, "Lagaan" earned widespread critical and commercial acclaim, and was even nominated in the 'Best Foreign Language Film' category at the 47th Acacdemy Awards, ultimately losing to "No Man's Land".
The film starred Aamir Khan, Gracy Singh, Rachel Shelley, Paul Blackthorne, Suhasini Mulay, Kulbhushan Kharbanda and Rajendra Gupta, among others.
Its music composed by A R Rahman, featured songs such as "Ghanan Ghanan", "Mitwa", "Radha Kaise Na Jale", and "O Rey Chhori", which continue to resonate with audiences.
The film has been re-released in theatres to mark its 25th anniversary.
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