LagaanProving your courage and standing up to oppression doesn't always mean fighting. Lagaan is set at the end of the 19th century in occupied India, where the small village of Champaner is faced with the threat of being double taxed on their grain production--known as "lagaan"--by the arrogant and tyrannical commander of the provincial cantonment, Captain Andrew Russell (Paul Blackthorne). When the villagers petition Raja Puran Singh (Kulbhushan Kharbanda) for a deferment since the lack of rain has hindered the growth of their crops, Russell counters with a wager that they cannot defeat his cricket team, and places the choice of besting his team or paying the tax on the impulsive Bhuvan (Aamir Khan)--who previously humiliated the haughty captain--leaving the fate of the province in one man's hands.
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Lagaan is a period piece depicting the subjugation of parts of India by the British Empire, and Russell exemplifies some of the worst aspects of a colonial despot. He is abusive and disrespectful to the Indian people he taxes, and shows no empathy for their plight. He capitalizes on the village's unfamiliarity at the game of cricket and on Bhuvan's pride, provoking him into taking a bet too good to be true, predicting that it will turn the villagers against him. Despite the seemingly impossible task, Bhuvan rises up to the challenge, determined to show up the arrogant foreigner at first, and later to unite his village as a makeshift folk hero. The residents of Champaner are introduced as in a stage play, the broadest elements of their personality and their idiosyncrasies at the forefront. Bhuvan's efforts to find able players for his team convinces them to put aside their differences and work together for their mutual survival. Bhuvan is considered foolhardy for his hasty pact with Russell, and almost no one supports his plan despite their commitment to it by proxy. But he never begs or manipulates anyone into accepting his mission, and supports the differences in each and every member of his team as strengths. Bhuvan is charismatic and confident, qualities which have long since caught the eye of Gauri (Gracy Singh), a young woman who hints to Bhuvan about her affection, although it isn't until he sheds his child-like naivete that he recognizes her attraction. A love triangle forms when Russell's sister, Elizabeth (Rachel Shelley), begins to teach Bhuvan and his burgeoning team the rules of cricket. Elizabeth is opposed to her brother's injustice, and is aroused by the handsome Bhuvan's conviction to defend what he cherishes. Bhuvan does not discriminate in assembling a magnificent team, knowing each and every member will be crucial to their survival. He accommodates villagers like Lakha (Yashpal Sharma), a menacing woodcutter who vies for Gauri's affection, and to the surprise of all, Kachra (Aditya Lakhia), an "untouchable" from the lowest caste in Indian society. The latter leads to a profound moment in Lagaan; Bhuvan's selection challenges the prejudices of his people at a time when it is crucial to embrace their brethren and band together to fight the real enemy.
Lagaan embodies many motifs and tropes from the Indian style of film popularized as "Bollywood"--a portmanteau of "Bombay" and "Hollywood". It is a musical, with roughly half a dozen song and dance routines, recalling both the musicals of classic Hollywood and Indian dramas dating back hundreds--even thousands--of years. Lagaan is an underdog story; Bhuvan and his rookie cricket players are challenging a well-trained English team literally at their own game. The match takes up a significant portion of the film's final act; it is a tense display that shows how despite all of his team's training and strategy, Bhuvan must also become an impromptu coach, making split-second tactical decisions to stay ahead. The conflict between the British and the Indians is encapsulated in the climactic cricket match, and is a metaphorical revolution against Russell and his condescending imperialists. When Bhuvan and his team are fashioning crude cricket bats, they sling them over their shoulders like swords--soldiers marching to war. Lagaan portrays Russell and his cronies as both arrogant and unscrupulous, exploiting the rules of the game and playing dirty to disadvantage Bhuvan and his team when things shift in the home team's favor--a tack that recalls films like The Karate Kid and Teen Wolf. Lakha initially plots to betray Bhuvan, jealous of Gauri's love for his rival; but Bhuvan's forgiveness and passion to defend his community wins him back to the side of righteousness. The rest of the team is made up of an eclectic and yet recognizable spectrum of archetypes, including a Sikh sepoy named Deva Singh Sodhi (Pradeep Rawat), who joins Bhuvan's mission out of revenge against the English. During the three months in preparation for the big match, Bhuvan, Gauri, and the rest still find time to honor their traditions, like a religious celebration honoring the birthday of Krishna; this leads to a musical number that compares Krishna and Radha to Bhuvan and Gauri. The tension in Lagaan is maintained during the final match through a bevy of upsets and comebacks; but when the heroes pull out all the stops, they prove that they are justified in standing up to tyrants like Russell no matter the time or place--standing proud on their own merit, earning the respect they deserve.
Recommended for: Fans of a colorful musical and sports drama set against the backdrop of the declining British Raj. Lagaan is a big, bold tale of heroism--though you may have to suspend your disbelief in as it makes cricket look like a tense nail-biter. (Joking aside, it's worth mentioning that cricket is the most popular sport in India, giving added resonance to Bhuvan's pioneering of it in Lagaan as an act of rebellion.)
Lagaan embodies many motifs and tropes from the Indian style of film popularized as "Bollywood"--a portmanteau of "Bombay" and "Hollywood". It is a musical, with roughly half a dozen song and dance routines, recalling both the musicals of classic Hollywood and Indian dramas dating back hundreds--even thousands--of years. Lagaan is an underdog story; Bhuvan and his rookie cricket players are challenging a well-trained English team literally at their own game. The match takes up a significant portion of the film's final act; it is a tense display that shows how despite all of his team's training and strategy, Bhuvan must also become an impromptu coach, making split-second tactical decisions to stay ahead. The conflict between the British and the Indians is encapsulated in the climactic cricket match, and is a metaphorical revolution against Russell and his condescending imperialists. When Bhuvan and his team are fashioning crude cricket bats, they sling them over their shoulders like swords--soldiers marching to war. Lagaan portrays Russell and his cronies as both arrogant and unscrupulous, exploiting the rules of the game and playing dirty to disadvantage Bhuvan and his team when things shift in the home team's favor--a tack that recalls films like The Karate Kid and Teen Wolf. Lakha initially plots to betray Bhuvan, jealous of Gauri's love for his rival; but Bhuvan's forgiveness and passion to defend his community wins him back to the side of righteousness. The rest of the team is made up of an eclectic and yet recognizable spectrum of archetypes, including a Sikh sepoy named Deva Singh Sodhi (Pradeep Rawat), who joins Bhuvan's mission out of revenge against the English. During the three months in preparation for the big match, Bhuvan, Gauri, and the rest still find time to honor their traditions, like a religious celebration honoring the birthday of Krishna; this leads to a musical number that compares Krishna and Radha to Bhuvan and Gauri. The tension in Lagaan is maintained during the final match through a bevy of upsets and comebacks; but when the heroes pull out all the stops, they prove that they are justified in standing up to tyrants like Russell no matter the time or place--standing proud on their own merit, earning the respect they deserve.
Recommended for: Fans of a colorful musical and sports drama set against the backdrop of the declining British Raj. Lagaan is a big, bold tale of heroism--though you may have to suspend your disbelief in as it makes cricket look like a tense nail-biter. (Joking aside, it's worth mentioning that cricket is the most popular sport in India, giving added resonance to Bhuvan's pioneering of it in Lagaan as an act of rebellion.)