as Ashutosh GowarikarThe actor recently completed 25 years of his iconic film Laagan Amin Haji took a nostalgic trip down memory lane and recalled how the film not only changed his career but also his personal life.The actor, who played temple drummer Bagga in the 2001 period sports drama, attended the film’s anniversary celebrations organized by Aamir Khan Productions in Mumbai with his wife Charlotte Whitby-Coles and their daughters. Reflecting on the milestone, Amin revealed that he first met Charlotte on the sets of Lagaan, where an unexpected connection turned into a lifelong partnership.
How Amin Haji met his wife on the sets of Lagaan
Speaking recently, Amin shared that his wife’s brother, Jamie Whitby-Coles, was instrumental in bringing Charlotte to the film set.“My brother-in-law today, Jamie, was playing county cricket at the time. They tested him and they liked him. He’s 6’5″ tall. So they told him, ‘You’re on,'” Amin recalled.The makers of Lagaan were also looking for British extras to portray the audience during the climactic cricket match. Jamie was asked to bring the women of his family to appear in the crowd scene.“They said, ‘We will pay for their tickets, we will even give them a stipend. We want them to sit in the pavilion for those two weeks with parasols and period costumes, like the wives and family members of the English cast,'” Amin told PTI.Charlotte, who was 23 at the time and had recently completed her studies in anthropology, was intrigued by the experience of visiting Bhuj, Gujarat, where the film was shot.Recalling their first meeting with his trademark humour, Amin says, “He saw me and thought, ‘Ye gahobi hai. Ye sample ko mujhe research karna hai thoda.’ Aur ispe jo research ho raha hai, 26 sal ho gaye aur aj oo abhi tak bechari 3 gan lagan bhar rahi hai. (“That’s weird. I need to do some research on this sample. And that research has been going on for 26 years now, and the poor guy is still paying three times as much.)
Charlotte played an important role during a difficult phase of her career
After dating and eventually marrying, Charlotte moved to India. The couple now lives in the mountains with their daughters, Summer and Akash, whom they homeschool.Amin also credits his wife for helping him navigate a challenging period in his career after the massive success of Lagaan. Surprisingly, the actor revealed that the film’s success made it difficult for him to accept further acting offers.“I didn’t even want to act. I was getting offers, but neither the script nor my character came within a mile of Lagaan. At one point, Ashutosh and my wife Charlotte asked me, ‘So what are you going to do from now on?’ So I said, ‘You tell me,’ because I didn’t want to do it,” she admitted.The actor explained that he is reluctant to take up projects that do not match the quality of acclaimed films.“I basically didn’t want to spoil the respect I had earned. Also, I am not a great actor. I managed to give a good performance to Lagaan’s script, director and team. They all helped me,” he added.
How Ashutosh Gowariker helped Amin Haji reinvent himself
Seeing Amin’s struggle to find direction after Lagaan, filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker encouraged him to explore writing.Concerned about his future and family responsibilities, Gowariker offered him a chance to co-write his 2004 film Swadesh.“If you want to raise a family, you have to earn something,” Gowariker told him.The opportunity marked a turning point in Amin’s career. He went on to co-write Vikram Bhatt’s horror films Haunted 3D (2011) and Dangerous Ishq (2012) before making his directorial debut with the 2021 psychological thriller Koi Jaane Nadi starring Kunal Kapoor and Amira Dastur.
