Rachel Shelley shares unseen Lagaan behind‑the‑scenes photos for 25th anniversary

British actress Rachel Shelley, who played Elizabeth Russell in the 2001 Indian film Lagaan, posted two rare behind‑the‑scenes pictures on her social‑media account. One image shows her in traditional Indian attire with colourful bangles, and the other captures her beside a decorated elephant wearing a Victorian‑style costume. She captioned the post with the hashtags #LagaanLovers, #lagaan and #25yearslagaan.

Lagaan, directed by Ashutosh Gowariker and produced by Aamir Khan Productions, was nominated for an Oscar and starred Aamir Khan, Gracy Singh and others. In June 2024 the cast and crew reunited for a special script‑reading to mark the film’s 25th anniversary, prompting the nostalgic sharing of archival material.

The photos provide a glimpse of the film’s production in the Indian village of Champaner, highlighting the cross‑cultural collaboration between the British‑based actress and the Indian filmmaking team.