Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001)

Director:

Ashutosh Gowariker

Writers:

Kumar Dave (screenplay)
Sanjay Dayma (screenplay)

Release Date:

8 May 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Musical | Romance | Sport

Tagline:

Once upon a time in India

Plot:

The people of a small village in Victorian India stake their future on a game of cricket against their ruthless British rulers...

Plot Keywords:

Cricket Match | Country Name In Title | Once Upon A Time In The Title | Against The Odds | What Happened To Epilogue

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 44 wins & 19 nominations

Cast

Aamir Khan	...	Bhuvan
Gracy Singh	...	Gauri
Rachel Shelley	...	Elizabeth Russell
Paul Blackthorne	...	Captain Andrew Russell
Suhasini Mulay	...	Yashodamai
Kulbhushan Kharbanda	...	Rajah Puran Singh
Raghuvir Yadav	...	Bhura (as Raghuveer Yadav)
Rajendra Gupta	...	Mukhiya
Rajesh Vivek	...	Guran
Shri Vallabh Vyas	...	Ishwar (as Sri Vallabh Vyas)
Javed Khan	...	Ram Singh
Rajendranath Zutshi	...	Ismail (as Raj Zutshi)
Akhilendra Mishra	...	Arjan
Daya Shankar Pandey	...	Goli
Yashpal Sharma	...	Lakha

Also Known As:

Lagaan (India: Hindi title) (short title)
Land Tax (International: English title) (informal literal title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for language and some violence.

Runtime:

224 min

Country:

India

Language:

Hindi | English | Awadhi

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Canada:F (Ontario) | Canada:G (Québec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia) | Finland:K-11 | Germany:6 | Netherlands:AL | Norway:7 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:PG | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Bhuj, Gujarat, India

Company:

Aamir Khan Productions

Trivia:

The first Bollywood production in 30 years to use synchronized sound. An Arri535 camera, brought over from Germany, was used to facilitate sync-sound recording. Most Indian films are dubbed entirely in the studio in the process known as ADR.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Approximately 13:27 into the movie, in the background there appears to be orange plastic fencing.

Quotes:

[the other villagers are refusing to let Kachra, an untouchable, join the team]
Bhuvan: Whether you support me or not, Kachra will play.

Movie Connections:

Featured in 50 Films to See Before You Die (2006) (TV)

Soundtrack:

O Rey Chhori

Just One Word: Wow!

LAGAAN (4+ outta 5 stars) Years of subjugation and unfair taxation by the British Empire come to a head and the inhabitants of a small Indian farming community face off against their evil oppressors... in a cricket match??? This may seem like a ridiculous idea for a movie (and I won't even mention the fact that it's a musical) but this was the most exciting and wonderful movie I've seen in quite some time. Yes, it all comes down to a cricket match between the upper class British twits and the neophyte Indian farmers... and the movie is almost FOUR HOURS long... but, wow... what a movie this is! The slow building of trust and community among the usually-bickering villagers as they prepare for their ultimate battle is both fascinating and inspiring. It's like watching The Magnificent Seven or The Wild Bunch gathering together for a big showdown... only instead of shooting and killing... there's cricket! A cocky British Captain (Paul Blackthorne) makes a deal with the proud, young Bhuvan (Aamir Khan): he will give the entire region three years of no taxes if they can defeat the British cricket team... but if they lose they have to pay triple tax this year. Since there has been no rain all season and they can't even pay their regular taxes... this becomes a tense, do-or-die situation. Aamir Khan is terrific in the lead (he resembles a cross between Tony Curtis, Peter Sellers and Al Pacino). He is always believable, whether trying to inspire his fellow villagers or facing his English enemies in stony silence or wooing his the lovely Gauri (Gracy Singh) with song and dance. Great story! Great music! Don't miss this one!