Lagaan

Sonja Chacon

The feature film Lagaan was released in 2001 and was written and directed by Ashutosh Gowariker. It was produced by Amir Khan who also plays the leading male in the film. The film is one of three to be nominated for an Academy Award. The film is set in 19^th century India, during the period of the British Raj. The film is set in and around the town of Champaner; this is a rural town in which the residents make their living off of their harvests. The entire province has been suffering from a serious drought; as a result their taxes were cancelled the year before. This year, however, the British Captain Andrew Russell (played by Paul Blackthorne) is on a power trip and decides to double the taxes or lagaan. The people of course are concerned because the drought has not allowed them to grow a sufficient amount to feed themselves much less pay the double lagaan. The villagers decide to go talk to the Raj and see if they can work something out, what winds happening instead is Captain Russell challenges Bhuvan (Khan) to a cricket match. Why? Simply because he does not like him, he is intimidated by him. The stakes are high if the villagers win the math they not have to pay lagaan for three years! If the British win than the villagers will have to pay triple the lagaan! Bhuvan realizing that could mean freedom for three years, three years of happiness of not having to answer to anyone; he accepts the challenge. What is the problem here? The villagers do not know how to play cricket! Not only that, Bhuvan has to convince his fellow men to join him in this battle; easier said than done because they are all angry with him for accepting the bet and speaking for everyone.

After a lot of trying Bhuvan is able to gather six people together, they also get a surprise helper, Captain Russell’s very own sister Elizabeth (played by Rachel Shelley). Elizabeth a) understands how unfair this challenge is and b) seems to have fallen in love at first site with Bhuvan. This is the perfect time to talk about the love story; after all it would not be Bollywood without one. Bhuvan’s love realistic love interest is Gauri (Gracy Singh), they have a playful nature with Gauri being much more forward than Bhuvan. Gauri is sure of Bhuvan’s love until Elizabeth comes into the picture and suddenly Gauri feels threatened. This is an interesting subplot. We have Bhuvan who is blatantly being cast as Krishna and Gauri is Rhada and Elizabeth one of the many Gopi’s who cannot help but fall in love with Krishna. This plays throughout but oddly at the end the narrator states that Elizabeth leaves remaining his Rhada. . . It makes since in the way they the two cannot be together but it doesn’t follow the rest of the movies implications. There are some wonderful songs with Bhuvan and Gauri but it was a bad choice to have Elizabeth sing, it really ruined the song.

We watch the team come together breaking boundaries of religion and caste, for the sake of the greater good. The second half mainly consists of the actual cricket match. While there were definitely touching, suspenseful moments, this half seemed to drag. Perhaps because I cannot get into cricket no matter how hard I try, seeing cricket in person and in film had the same effect; boredom. I understand the importance and popularity of cricket but it is not my cup of tea. The match goes on and at first the villagers are hopeful, but then on the second day it does not look so promising. Of course in the end Bhuvan and the villagers win! Not only do they not have to pay lagaan for three years but Captain Russell was reprimanded for behaving in such a wreck-less manor that he had to pay their lagaan for them as well as leave for the deserts of South Africa! Oh it does not end there, the rains come! Elizabeth returns to England and Bhuvan and Gauri can live out their love story.

This film had many moments that were reminiscent of Mother India, but it added to it creating an “epic” like tone to the film. While I did not enjoy the cricket aspect to the fullest it was still understanding and actually gave the audience some basic cricket knowledge. This film touched on so many topics regarding caste, religion, social issues, and of course cricket that it is definitely a must see.