How Gerard Butler Almost Became a Bollywood Star

December 03, 2011 06:30 PM EST

Everyone knows Gerard Butler is fascinated by Bollywood, but until today most people assumed that fascination was limited to the industry's beautiful women.

Now Butler has revealed that he almost became a Bollywood star when he auditioned for the Oscar-nominated hit film Lagaan.

"[Lagaan] was a great movie, I love that movie" recalls Butler. Presumably he auditioned for the role which eventually went to Paul Blackthorne. Blackthorne played the evil Captain Russell in a historical drama that pitted the residents of a small village against the occupying British Empire. Bollywood star Aamir Khan played Bhuvan, a villager who makes a bet with Russell: if the villagers can defeat the British in a game of cricket, the impoverished locals will be exempt from paying lagaan (land tax). If they lose they will have to pay triple the tax—a burden that would destroy them.

Blackthorne played the role well but it's easy to see Gerard Butler taking it on—he has a mean snarl and can depict conniving characters like Captain Russell with ease.

Butler didn't win the role but went on to become acquainted with a variety of stars in the Bollywood industry, including becoming good friends with both Shahrukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra. Given the stagnant Hollywood roles Gerard Butler has been playing these days it might not be a bad idea for him to head back to Mumbai and try his hand at Bollywood again!

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