Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001)

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

Director:

Ashutosh Gowariker

Writers:

Ashutosh Gowariker (story), Ashutosh Gowariker (screenplay)

Stars:

Aamir Khan, Raghuvir Yadav, Gracy Singh

Top Rated Indian Movies #63 | Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 47 wins & 19 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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
Raj Zutshi	...	Ismail
Akhilendra Mishra	...	Arjan
Daya Shankar Pandey	...	Goli
Yashpal Sharma	...	Lakha

Storyline

This is the story about the resilience shown by the Indians when they were under the British Rule. They are already taxed to the bone by the British and their cronies, but when Jack Russell announces that he will double the Lagaan (tax) from all villagers, they decide to oppose it. Leading the villagers is a handsome young man named Bhuvan, who challenges them to a game of cricket, a game that is to be played by veteran British cricket players, versus villagers, including Bhuvan himself, who have never played this game before, and do not even know a bat from a piece of wood. As the challenge is accepted, the interest grows and attracts Indians from all over the region, as well as the British from all over the country - as everyone gathers to see the 'fair play' that the British will display against their counter-parts, who are aided by none other than the sister, Elizabeth, of Captain Rusell.

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Plot Keywords:

british | based on supposedly true story | cricket the sport | indian freedom movement | village | 

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Taglines:

Once upon a time in India

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Musical | Romance | Sport

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for language and some violence

Details

Official Sites:

Aamir Khan Productions / indiatimes (warning: opens a big window, flash only) Aamir Khan Productions [India] (English)

Country:

India

Language:

Hindi English Awadhi Urdu

Release Date:

8 May 2002 (USA)

Also Known As:

Taxation: Once Upon a Time in India

Filming Locations:

Bhuj, Gujarat, India

Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$285,368, 17 June 2001, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$70,147, 16 June 2002

Company Credits

Production Co:

Aamir Khan Productions, Jhamu Sughand Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

224 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

'Lagaan' was the first Indian film to premiere in China. Aamir Khan would later be one of the most successful actors in this country.

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Goofs

The game of cricket is a test match. Bhuvan's team can't lose the match if the stipulated time is over. The match should end in a draw.

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Quotes

Burton: [smugly hits Yardley's ball for 4] How was that?
Yardley: [bowls a fast ball, knocking Burton back onto his own wicket, sarcastically] How was *that*?

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Connections

Featured in The 74th Annual Academy Awards (2002)

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Soundtracks

Radha Kaise Na Jale
Music by A.R. Rahman
Lyrics by Javed Akhtar
Performed by Asha Bhosle, Udit Narayan, Vaishali and chorus

User Reviews

As a sports movie, "Lagaan" is dramatized with great élan and suspense…

The setting is historical… The year is 1893… The British Raj imposes heavy taxes on the poor villagers despite all the problems droughts have caused on their income…

An arrogant army captain—unknown to him that his sister has fallen in love with a sensitive idealistic—confident in his countrymen's ability, offers the people relief if they can beat the fearsome British team at a game of cricket…

Despite its closeness to the conventions, "Lagaan" proved to be a break-out film… Besides the graceful and enchanting attractions of the song-and-dance sequences, it has a plot carefully fashioned to a special kind of audience—audience who likes sports movies…

They are minor characters compared to the captain's pretty sister (Rachel Shelley), who not only upholds the British tradition of fair play but also loses her heart to the handsome Indian hero…