Ashutosh Gowariker’s 2001 classic Lagaan was re-released in theatres on June 12 to celebrate 25 years of its release. The film, starring Aamir Khan in the lead role, tapped into the country’s love for cricket and cinema in a way never seen before. But curiously, a cursory search reveals that a film as celebrated as this cannot be streamed on any OTT platform in India.
Lagaan completes 25 years, re-releases in theatres
Lagaan was initially released in theatres on June 15, 2001. And to celebrate its 25th anniversary, the film was re-released in theatres this year on June 12. While the film was initially supposed to run only till June 14, the makers extended its limited theatrical release till June 18. According to Bollywood Hungama, the film earned ₹4.47 lakh in four days over nine cities as new and old audiences watched the 3-hour 44-minute film, which was even nominated in the Best International Feature Film category at the Oscars. It eventually lost to No Man’s Land.
The short-lived stream run on Netflix India
Lagaan was available to stream on Netflix for a short period, but is currently unavailable to watch in India. JustWatch’s streaming charts for the film show that it was available on the platform from April 2021 to 2024. Interestingly, there are no reports on why it was dropped from the streaming service, though it’s possible that the film’s licensing agreement had expired and was never renewed. Unlike films from the time period, it is also not available to stream on Google Play or YouTube.
Netflix explained why TV shows and movies leave the streaming platform. The note on their website reads: “Netflix licenses TV shows and movies from studios around the world. Though we strive to keep the titles you want to watch, some titles do leave Netflix because of licensing agreements. Whenever a TV show or movie license is expiring, we consider things such as: If the rights to the title are still available. How popular it is in a region, and how much it costs to license. If a TV show or movie is renewed, it remains on Netflix for you to enjoy. If a title isn’t renewed, we’ll give you a heads up when it’s about to leave.”
Aamir has in the past been vocal about a pay-per-view model for films over traditional OTT platforms. He even claimed to have rejected a ₹125-crore OTT offer for his film Sitaare Zameen Par. But after its theatrical release, the film was released for rent on YouTube and later on SonyLIV. Now that Lagaan has completed 25 years since its release and there’s renewed interest, time will tell whether it’s ever available to stream in India.