As Aamir Khan’s Lagaan prepares to complete 25 years, the Oscar-nominated film is set to return to theatres from June 12 to 14. Over the years, the period sports drama has remained a cultural touchstone, with its music continuing to resonate across generations. From the stirring anthem Chale Chalo to the playful Radha Kaise Na Jale, A.R. Rahman’s soundtrack has played a significant role in cementing the film’s enduring legacy.

In May, Spotify celebrated 25 years of the iconic film with the first-ever live recording of Behind The Beats. The Spotify video series revisits landmark moments in Indian cinema through conversations with the creators behind some of the country’s most beloved soundtracks.

The special event brought together a select group of Spotify Premium fans for an evening with Lagaan producer and lead actor Aamir Khan, composer A.R. Rahman, lyricist Javed Akhtar, and writer-director Ashutosh Gowariker. Hosted by Meiyang Chang, the session saw the team revisit the making of the film’s unforgettable soundtrack.

From creative breakthroughs and disagreements to stories behind some of the album’s most iconic songs, the conversation offered a rare glimpse into the journey of creating one of Indian cinema’s most celebrated musical works.

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.

He went on to praise the way the composition captures both the excitement of rain clouds gathering and the disappointment when the rain never arrives.

Gowariker also recalled Rahman’s unique working style, revealing that the composer did not present a finished tune but instead shared nearly three hours of music and asked the team to pick sections they liked. According to the filmmaker, the melody was in place long before the lyrics arrived.

“Until I got a call from Javed saab and he recited the lyrics. It was unbelievable,” Gowariker said.

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One of the evening’s biggest revelations came when Rahman disclosed that O Rey Chhori was originally composed for an entirely different project.

“Originally, this tune was for my album Maa Tujhe Salaam and not Lagaan. It was also a lot slower, and Aamir wasn’t a fan,” Rahman said.

The composer recalled that Aamir encouraged him to revisit the song because romantic numbers in contemporary films were setting a very high standard. The eventual result was a faster and more energetic version that made it into the film.

Aamir then shared another lesser-known detail about the track.

“Also, I don’t know how many people are aware, but the English lyrics in this song were written by Farhan and Zoya [Akhtar],” he revealed.

Javed Akhtar responded with a joke that drew laughter from the audience.

“Yeah, these are some of the benefits of educating your kids and sending them to college.”

Discussing Mitwa, Javed Akhtar revealed that the word that ultimately became the song’s identity was not part of the original plan.

“The word ‘Mitwa’ was never actually meant to be in the song, but Rahman told me that he needed a word here that would become the hook, and that’s how we got the word ‘Mitwa,’” he said.

Akhtar praised Rahman’s instincts, saying that despite not having a strong command of Hindi at the time, the composer’s musical understanding was remarkably accurate.

“That is the genius of AR Rahman,” he added.

The lyricist also credited Rahman for striking a balance between period authenticity and contemporary appeal, ensuring that the music felt rooted in the film’s setting while still connecting with modern audiences.

For Gowariker, Radha Kaise Na Jale was more than just a romantic song—it was a key storytelling device.

“Aamir is fantastic with romance, which is why I was certain that I needed a strong romantic track in the film,” he said.

The director explained that the song helped communicate the feelings both Gauri and Elizabeth develop for Bhuvan, while also showcasing the playful chemistry that existed within the story.

Javed Akhtar, meanwhile, shared an amusing anecdote about a doctor friend who once called him to discuss the song.

“I’m not sure whether this was a compliment or just an observation,” Akhtar said before recalling how the friend described the exchange between Radha and Krishna as surprisingly modern, particularly Krishna’s argument that while many gopis may come and go, Radha remains the queen of his heart.

The conversation around Chale Chalo produced one of the funniest moments of the evening.

Gowariker revealed that when Rahman first created the tune, the placeholder phrase was not Chale Chalo but Nasha Nasha. The director admitted that both he and Aamir had grown fond of those words and even requested Javed Akhtar to retain them.

Akhtar, however, had other ideas.

“There is no rain, the farmers are starving to death, they must pay three times the lagaan… and the producer and director of the movie are asking me to use the words ‘Nasha Nasha,’” he joked.

The lyricist said he eventually put his foot down and replaced the phrase with Chale Chalo.

“If it weren’t for me, that documentary would have been called ‘Nasha Nasha,’” he added, referring to the documentary made on the film.

Among all the songs in the album, O Paalanhaare remains the one that challenged Javed Akhtar the most.

“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, regardless of language or background, 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 he had always hoped the music of Lagaan would feel timeless and credited the film’s ambitious vision for pushing him creatively.

“I wanted to make the music timeless, and luckily it has become that,” he said.

The composer added that the pursuit of timelessness also influenced the choice of singers, leading the team to approach legends Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle for the soundtrack.

Lagaan was released on June 15, 2001.