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:

GBP2,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$14,170, 17 July 2005

Gross USA:

$50,257

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$336,637

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 gem of a film well worth seeking out.

With his debut feature 'The Warrior', Asif Kapadia has immediately identified himself as a director worth watching.

The story follows the journey of the warrior (Irfran Khan) as he attempts to renounce his violent past and find a new life of peace in the mountains of Northern India.

Sickened by the brutality of his role as leader of a band of warriors, he puts down his sword, vowing never to kill again. However he does not account for the wrath of the Warlord who sends his men to hunt him down, with terrible consequences.

A timeless, almost Zen-like film has strong echoes of the work of Sergio Leone, opting for minimal dialogue and careful pacing, and making full use of the spectacular vistas of Northern India's desert and mountain regions.

I suspect you will have to search hard to find this film at your local multiplex, but it is well worth the effort. If you're feeling a tad jaded after too many blockbusters, here's a film to reaffirm your faith in cinema.