The highest grossing film of 2001, Lagaan is a favorite among Indian's all over the world. Ranked No. 55 in Empire magazine's "The 100 Best Films of World Cinema" it was the perfect choice for a theme park ride at the World's first Bollywood inspired theme park.
Talking about the success of the film, Aamir Khan said, "We make films with a lot of heart and emotions and some of them get this strange intangible quality which connects with people and Lagaan was one such film which connected with people across the world. It travelled on its own, we didn't have to do anything with it."
The Aamir Khan Productions blockbuster film is set in the Victorian period of India's colonial British Raj. The story revolves around a small village whose inhabitants, burdened by high taxes, find themselves in an extraordinary situation as an arrogant officer challenges them to a game of cricket as a wager to levy more taxes.
The ride however has a twist for guests of the park with Aamir Khan playing two different characters. Commenting on his dual characters, Aamir Khan said, "I am playing two characters for this ride, one is the original Bhuvan of course, and the other is the maker of this ride, his great-great-grandson, and of course he looks very different. We went for a steam-punk look as his character get up, to give it a more futuristic look. He is very proud of his great-great-grandfather."
He further added, "The ride is about giving people an exciting time, giving you a feeling of exhilaration, and it will take you back to the film. So for people who have watched the movie, it will be a nostalgic experience. For everyone, we wanted it to be an exciting ride, it's very thrilling, it's bound to give you a rush."
A superstar through and through, Aamir is known to get attached to all his characters and usually keeps some of the accessories from the characters he has played over the years as memorabilia. Some of the distinct pieces used for the iconic character Bhuvan from the original film, have been used for the Lagaan: Thrill of Victory ride.
The Bollywood Parks™ Dubai team was thrilled to have Aamir Khan on board for the only Bollywood themed park in the world. Commenting on his experience working with the Bollywood Parks™ Dubai team, Aamir Khan said, "The Bollywood Parks™ Dubai team was wonderful to work with, everyone was very focused on what they wanted to achieve and there was a lot of passion for their work. We managed to finish our schedule on time and it was a very good experience over all."
Located at Bollywood Parks™ Dubai, within the Rustic Ravine zone, guests will get to join Bhuvan and his team in a game of cricket against the British Raj through a rollercoaster motion simulator based ride that will give visitors the best point of view of a moving cricket ball.
