It’s been 11 years since Farhan Akhtar‘s cult classic Lakshya released. I remember watching it in 2004 (in Chandan theater) and wondering why the actors weren’t shouting jingoistic lines or dissing our neighbouring country loudly. But after watching it again just a few months ago (before turning 25), I realised what an amazing movie it was. Basically, Lakhsya is like fine wine which gets better with age, so here’s a list of 11 things you might not know about the movie on it’s 11th anniversary.
#11yearsofLakshya & still climbing. Salute to our armed forces and a big shout out to the entire cast & crew. pic.twitter.com/H7yZPwiR7k
— Farhan Akhtar (@FarOutAkhtar) June 18, 2015
1) In the flashback scenes Hrithik Roshan is wearing a wig.
2) Arjun Rampal was offered the role of Jalal Akbar.
Sushant Singh was roped in to play this role after Arjun Rampal refused.
There were rumours of Arjun being offered the role of Hrithik Roshan as well but they were apparently untrue.
3) The vast majority of the non-speaking Army roles in the film were filled by real-life soldiers of 13th Battalion, The Punjab Regiment.
4) When Hrithik Roshan was asked if there was anything about this movie that he would have changed, he answered that he would have changed Preity Zinta’s hair in the second half.
5) Javed Akhtar returned to scriptwriting with this movie after more than 14 years. Before that, his last movie as a scriptwriter was Main Azaad Hoon, released in 1989.
6) Aamir Khan was offered the lead role but turned it down for Mangal Pandey: The Rising!
7) While shooting in Leh, the cast couldn’t use their mobile phones and were asked to not have sex until they were used to the weather up there.
It’s a pity because the place is gorgeous!
8) The Drill Instructor at IMA, Subedar Srivardan, is in fact a real-life instructor who served in the senior-most/elite infantry unit in the Indian Army: The Brigade of the Guards.
9) Prabhudeva won a National Award for choreographing the epic song – Main Aisa Kyun Hoon!
10) A portion of Lakshya’s instrumental theme titled Victory is now used as the theme music of Excel Productions.
11) Preity Zinta’s character was loosely based on Barkha Dutt.
Keep making wonderful movies, Farhan Akhtar!