Movie Review: Lagaan

The movie Lagaan (meaning a type of tax) was regarded as the biggest movie hit in India, and inspired the movie goers of India to see it again and again. The plots revolves two of India's favorite pastimes -- hating British and Cricket, and the four hour long movie includes all regular Bollywood spices -- songs, music, fighting and melodrama.

Actor Aamir Khan is perhaps the prettiest of Indian actors of his generation and gives a commendable performance as Bhuvan, a leader of rural folk who looks beyond the stereotypes of the caste system to build a motivated Cricket team. The movie features the vibrant colors of India and parts of India's history involving the princely states who by this time (the movie is set in 1893) have lost much of their power and are unable to govern.

Preparation for the all important Cricket match is perhaps the most exciting part of the movie with Bhuvan recruiting talent from most unexpected of people. Nominated for an Oscar under the "Best Foreign Film" category, Lagaan lured movie lovers in India to back to love Bollywood entertainment.

However Lagaan fails to break through the niche of absurd Bollywood plots, and casting from inbred talent pool to be regarded as a ground-breaking phenomenon in Indian cinema.

Direction: Ashutosh Gowariker
Screenplay: Ashutosh Gowariker  
Cast: Aamir Khan, Gracy Singh
Cinematography: Anil Mehta
Music: A.R. Rahman
Year: 2001
Language: Hindi
Review: Vikas Kamat