‘Elizabeth’ Rachel Shelley revisits Lagaan memories, shares unseen BTS pictures from Holi celebration on set with Ashutosh Gowariker

As Lagaan marks 25 years, Rachel Shelley has shared behind-the-scenes photos with director Ashutosh Gowariker and praised his dedication during the shoot.

Actor Rachel Shelley, who played Elizabeth Russell in Lagaan, has shared behind-the-scenes pictures from the film’s sets as it marks 25 years since its release. The actor praised director Ashutosh Gowariker for his dedication, recalling how he continued working despite an injury during the film’s long and challenging shoot.

Rachel Shelley shares BTS pictures from Lagaan

Rachel Shelley shares BTS pictures with filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker.

On Monday, Rachel took to Instagram to share behind-the-scenes pictures with Ashutosh from the sets of Lagaan. One photograph showed the director explaining a scene to her, while another featured the two with their faces and clothes covered in colours, seemingly taken after they played Holi on set. The final picture showed Rachel holding a cricket bat signed by the cast and crew, which she described as a souvenir.

She added, “And look, there's my signed cricket bat🏏, handed to me on my very last night of shooting 🎬. Ash probably has someone in his ear saying 'we have to move on...'”

Fans were delighted by the behind-the-scenes pictures, with several sharing their appreciation for the film and its cast. One person commented, “I am absolutely loving these BTS photos! Thank you for sharing! Long live the lovely Elizabeth.” Another wrote, “Thank you for giving us this lifetime legendary movie (feels like Indian style Titanic).” A third comment read, “He is our best, and thanks to him we got introduced to you... also one of the best.” Another person wrote, “Dear Rachel, you have acted so well in Lagaan & Ashutosh Gowariker’s direction was above par. He just hit the ball out of the ground.”

About Lagaan

Lagaan is a 2001 Hindi period sports drama directed by Ashutosh Gowariker and produced by Aamir Khan. Set in the late 19th century during British rule in India, the film follows the villagers of Champaner in Gujarat, who challenge British officers to a game of cricket to escape a heavy land tax, known as lagaan, during a drought.

The film stars Aamir Khan as Bhuvan, a villager who leads the team despite having little knowledge of cricket. Gracy Singh plays Gauri, while Rachel Shelley appears as Elizabeth Russell, the sister of British officer Captain Andrew Russell, played by Paul Blackthorne. Elizabeth helps the villagers learn the game.

The film’s soundtrack, composed by AR Rahman with lyrics by Javed Akhtar, featured popular songs such as Mitwa, Ghanan Ghanan and Chale Chalo. Lagaan received widespread acclaim and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the 74th Academy Awards in 2002, although it did not win. It also won several National Film Awards, including Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.

The film is regarded as a landmark in Hindi cinema for its combination of cricket, nationalism and the struggle against colonial rule.