SINGAPORE: Bollywood actor Aamir Khan will be honoured with the Screen Icon Award at the 37th Singapore International Film Festival in recognition of his contribution to cinema, coinciding with the 25th anniversary of his acclaimed film Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India. Khan will attend a special screening of Lagaan marking its 25th anniversary, alongside the film’s director Ashutosh Gowariker. He will also participate in the festival’s “In Conversation with” program where he is expected to discuss his career and the making and legacy of the landmark film. The festival will run from October 21 to November 1, with this year’s edition being held around a month earlier than usual. The Screen Icon Award recognizes Asian actors for outstanding creative contributions to cinema. Released on June 15, 2001, Lagaan challenged several conventions of mainstream Hindi cinema. Set in 1893 during British colonial rule, the film follows villagers in central India struggling with drought and heavy taxation. The story takes a dramatic turn when a British officer offers the villagers a challenge: if they defeat his team in a game of cricket, their taxes will be waived. Despite its lengthy runtime, historical setting and focus on cricket as the central dramatic element, the film achieved both commercial success and critical acclaim. Khan starred opposite Gracy Singh, while Rachel Shelley, Paul Blackthorn, Suhasini Mulay, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Raghuvir Yadav and A.K. Hangal were also part of the cast. The film’s music, composed by A.R. Rahman, became another major part of its enduring popularity. Lagaan was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 74th Academy Awards in 2002. It ultimately lost the award to the Bosnian Film No Man’s Land, but remains one of the few Indian films to have reached that stage of the Oscars. The film’s 25th-anniversary celebrations have already been held at other international festivals. Khan attended a special screening at the Indian Film Festival of London in July, where he reunited with Rachel Shelley. In August, Lagaan also opened the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne.
