The Warrior (2001)

In feudal India, a warrior (Khan) who renounces his role as the longitme enforcer to a local lord becomes the prey in a murderous hunt through the Himalayan mountains.

Director:

Asif Kapadia

Writers:

Asif Kapadia (screenplay), Tim Miller (screenplay)

Stars:

Irrfan Khan, Puru Chibber, Aino Annuddin

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 8 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Irrfan Khan	...	Lafcadia - Warrior
Puru Chibber	...	Katiba, Warrior's son
Aino Annuddin	...	Biswas
Manoj Mishra	...	Warrior
Nanhe Khan	...	Warrior
Chander Singh	...	Warrior
Hemanth Mahaur	...	Warrior (as Hemant Maahaor)
Mandakini Goswami	...	Rabia
Sunita Sharma	...	The girl
Shaukat Baig	...	Clerk
Gori Shanker	...	Tarang village headman
Prabhuram	...	Blacksmith
Wagaram	...	Blacksmith's son
Ajai Rohilla	...	Quarrey foreman
Noor Mani	...	Riaz - Thief

Storyline

Circa feudal India in the State of Rajasthan is a desert region that is ruled over by a cruel and sadistic Lord, who, with the help of a handful of equally cruel and fierce warriors, led by Lafcadia, weigh a reign of terror upon those who do not submit or dare to oppose him. Long-haired Lafcadia is widowed but has a son, Katiba. Once when Katiba was by himself, he befriends a young girl, who ties a Raakhee on his hand and makes him her brother, and in return he gives her his amulet. When the Lord asks Lafcadia to subdue the villagers of Tarang, they carry out his orders. After the raid while Lafcadia stands by, his warriors rape and loot the villagers, it is then that Lafcadia is surprised by the very same young girl, and it is Katiba's amulet that saves her from being killed. This incident has a deep impact on Lafcadia and he decides to give up his job & sword and seek peace in his village in Kullu in the Himalayas. When the Lord finds out, he asks the rest of the warriors to hunt ...

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Plot Keywords:

warrior | amulet | thief | village | sword | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some violence

Details

Official Sites:

Miramax [United States]

Country:

UK France Germany India USA

Language:

Hindi

Release Date:

15 July 2005 (USA)

Also Known As:

El guerrero

Filming Locations:

Himachal Pradesh, India

Box Office

Budget:

£2,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$14,130, 17 July 2005, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$48,160, 7 August 2005

Company Credits

Production Co:

FilmFour,Senator Film Produktion,British Screen Productions

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Hindi-language film "The Warrior" was chosen by the British Academy of Film and Television to represent the UK in the "Best Foreign Language Film" category at the 2003 Oscars. The AMPAA took the highly unusual step of rejecting the movie because although the film had a British-born director (of Indian ancestry) and was co-produced by three British companies, the film did not qualify as British since "Hindi was not a language indigenous to the U.K." The British Academy was forced to submit its second choice, the Welsh-language, "Eldra". In an ironic twist, "The Warrior" went on to win "Best British Film" at the British Academy Awards the following year, although it lost "Best Non-English Film" to a film from Spain.

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Goofs

Although the film takes place in medieval India, smoking, unknown in the Old World before contact with the Americas and rare or absent across India before the British period (beginning circa 1600), is widespread. Further, cigarettes constitute most or all of the smoking shown in the film but were invented late in the 19th century. Prior to that, tobacco was smoked almost exclusively in pipes (cigars in the Caribbean).

Similarly, a basket of maize ears is overturned in one scene. Maize was developed by Meso-American peoples and not common in India until well after the beginning of the British period.

User Reviews

A must-see adventure drama!

A troubled warrior named Lafcadia (Irfan Khan) tires of being sent by his arrogant lord to murder innocent people in the villages of feudal India. During a typical raid to a village in Rajasthan over unpaid taxes, the conscientious warrior has a mystical experience, and renounces his violent life. Defying his feudal obligations, Lafcadia begins a long journey to the mountains in search of himself, joined by a teenage thief and an old magic woman. Lafcadia soon realizes that the same corrupt men who used to fight alongside him have pursued him, and are bent on killing him.

Though this classic tale of a violent man trying to escape his past has been told in many film genres and countries, (Léon, Unforgiven, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon), the Warrior is a stand out with its breathtaking scenery, beautiful costumes and moving performances.