Apoorva Lakhia on Lagaan Secrets, 10,000 Extras & Bollywood’s First Call Sheet!

Welcome to Cyrus Says!

In this action-packed episode of Cyrus Says, filmmaker Apoorva Lakhia takes us through his incredible journey — from the chaos of managing 10,000 extras on the set of Lagaan to leaving Aamir Khan behind as the production bus drove off in Bhuj. Apoorva opens up about how he brought Hollywood-style discipline to Bollywood, sharing hilarious and intense moments from the shoot.

He also recounts his terrifying skydiving experience in Thailand, where a parachute failure led to a crash landing and a broken leg — and how he was made to jump again immediately to conquer the fear. Add to that his obsession with superbikes, wild biker gang adventures, and stories of working with legends like Mira Nair, Ang Lee, and on The Sopranos.

This is a conversation filled with adrenaline, humour, and surprising insights into filmmaking, stunts, and life itself. Don’t miss it!

Chapters :

00:00 – Subscribe Now!!
00:50 – Lagaan bus story & Aamir Khan being left behind
03:00 – Apoorva’s skydiving accident in Thailand
05:00 – Jumping again after injury & skydiving culture
06:10 – Apoorva’s superbike obsession
08:20 – Illegal bike import stories & biker gang tales
11:00 – The Kona Konda caves adventure
13:00 – Growing up in Ahmedabad & school days at Sanawar
15:00 – Early jobs: courier, waiter, KLM cargo
16:40 – How he got to America & his big break in film
19:00 – Working on Mira Nair, Ang Lee & Ice Storm fake ice hack
21:00 – Sopranos pilot & Hollywood films
23:00 – Bringing Hollywood discipline to Lagaan
26:00 – Lagaan shoot madness & leaving Aamir behind again!
29:00 – Bollywood production challenges vs Hollywood
31:00 – Marriage on the Lagaan set & wrap-up
33:00 – How call sheets & production reports changed Bollywood
34:30 – Managing 10,000 extras & the housing setup for Lagaan
36:00 – No cars rule: Aamir, the bus, and discipline on set
38:00 – Dealing with actors’ egos & funny Lagaan anecdotes
40:00 – The insane first cut of Lagaan (5 hours 34 minutes!)
41:30 – How night cricket became a montage in the final film
43:00 – Lack of protective gear in Lagaan cricket scenes
44:00 – Pups born on set, marriages, and behind-the-scenes fun
46:00 – Two English junior artists got married on the temple set
47:30 – Wrapping up the Lagaan shoot and reflections on the chaos
47:30 – The junior artists’ temple marriage: hilarious mix-up
49:00 – Apoorva on staying in touch with his Hollywood contacts
50:00 – Working with Ang Lee, Andy Davis, and Matthew Broderick
51:30 – Challenges of Bollywood vs Hollywood professionalism
53:00 – What Apoorva learnt from sets of The Fugitive, Perfect Murder
54:30 – Final thoughts on balancing films, stunts, and superbikes
56:00 – Cyrus and Apoorva wrap up with jokes and sign-off

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