India, June 15 -- Twenty-five years after becoming one of the most hated villains in Indian cinema, British actor Paul Blackthorne, known for his work in 24, Arrow amongst others, is back in Mumbai, this time greeted with affection instead of fear. For Indian audiences, he will forever be Captain Andrew Russell, the ruthless British officer whose demand for 'teen guna lagaan' set the stage for one of Hindi cinema's most iconic cricket matches. As Lagaan marks its 25th anniversary with a theatrical re-release and cast reunion, Paul is still taking it all in.

"It's been an absolute whirlwind," he says. "Last night, we had this incredibly fun party to celebrate the 25th anniversary, looking back at all of AK's [Aamir Khan's] phenomenal film...