Aamir Khan says Karan Johar and Aditya Chopra advised him against making Lagaan in its then-planned form, calling it “a big mistake.” In the accounts cited by NDTV, Aamir describes how Lagaan is set against a different cultural and visual backdrop than what was considered mainstream at the time. He says the film was being made when many audiences and productions were focused on trends such as designer clothing and international shooting, including locations like Switzerland. By contrast, he characterizes Lagaan’s production choices as involving traditional attire—describing it as wearing a “bandi”—and speaking in Awadhi. According to Aamir, the project deliberately “breaks a lot of rules” of contemporary mainstream cinema, which was part of why he was cautioned during development. The reports present Aamir’s recollection of the warnings and his framing of how the film’s language, look and setting diverged from industry norms.