Lagaan : 2001

Introduction 

"Lagaan," directed by Ashutosh Gowariker and starring Aamir Khan, Rachel Shelley, and Gracy Singh, is a 2001 Indian epic sports-drama film. The film takes place in the late 1800s and tells the story of a small hamlet in India that is burdened by exorbitant taxes known as "Lagaan" imposed by their British masters. To get rid of this unfair levy, the locals challenge the British to a game of cricket, promising that if they win, the taxes will be waived for three years. The locals, on the other hand, have never played cricket before, whereas the British squad is made up of seasoned players. The film follows the villagers as they work hard to master the game and eventually compete against the British team. The film was met with critical praise and went on to become a box office hit in both India and abroad. In 2002, it was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

Table of contents 

• Details

• Plot 

• Release

• Reviews

• Casting

• Crew

• Songs

• Behind the scenes

• Box office collection

• Character Analysis 

• Interesting Facts

• How to book a personalised Celebrity Message similar to Lagaan on Tring

Details 

Plot

"Lagaan" is a narrative set in 1893 India, in which a small community is oppressed by exorbitant taxes known as "Lagaan" imposed by the British overlords. The peasants challenge the British to a game of cricket to obtain relief from the unfair levy. The locals, on the other hand, have never played cricket before, whereas the British squad is made up of seasoned players. The film follows the villagers as they work hard to master the game and eventually compete against the British team. A defeat in the game will mean doom for the villagers who will have to then pay heavier taxes. Winning will give the villagers a reprieve from the tax for 3 years. In the end, the outcome of the game is to the villager's benefit. They cheer on as the British team tucks their tails and accepts defeat redeeming the villagers off paying taxes for the next 3 years.

Release

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The movie was released on 15th June 2001. Made on a budget of 25 crores the movie amassed a box office contribution of 65.97 crores. The movie can be enjoyed on Netflix.. 

 Reviews

• Lagaan got a rating of 95% on rotten tomatoes. IMDB gave the movie a rating of 8.1/10.

• The Hindustan Times mentioned "Lagaan is a once-in-a-decade film with the potential to change our perception of cinema.

• "Lagaan is more than a movie; it's an experience." Ashutosh Gowariker has created a work of art."  www.rediff.com

• India Today praised Amir Khan saying "In Lagaan, Aamir Khan gave his best performance to date.

Casting 

• Aamir Khan as Bhuvan

• Gracy Singh as Gauri

• Rachel Shelley as Elizabeth Russell

• Paul Blackthorne as Captain Russell

• Suhasini Mulay as Yashodhara

• Kulbhushan Kharbanda as Raja Puran Singh

• Rajendra Gupta as Mukhiya

• Raghubir Yadav as Guran

• Rajesh Vivek as Guran's assistant

• Aditya Lakhia as Kachra

• Pradeep Rawat as Deva

• Akhilendra Mishra as Arjan

• Daya Shankar Pandey as Goli

• Yashpal Sharma as Lakha

Crew

• Director - Ashutosh Gowariker

• Writer - Ashutosh Gowariker, Kumar Dave, Sanjay Dayma.

• Produced By - Amir Khan

• Narrated By Amitabh Bachchan

• Editor - Ballu Sulaja

• Music - A.R Rahman

• Production Company - Aamir Khan Productions.

• Distributed By - SET Pictures

Character Analysis

• Bhuvan: Bhuvan is the main character and the chief of the village in the film. The actor Aamir Khan plays him. Bhuvan, a courageous and tenacious individual, accepts the challenge of playing cricket against the British in an effort to free his community from onerous taxes. He becomes the captain of the local cricket team due to his skill in the sport. Bhuvan is shown as a moral and sympathetic person who fights for justice throughout the entire film.

• Gauri: Gracy Singh plays Gauri, the love interest of Bhuvan. She is a determined and independent woman who backs Bhuvan in his efforts to defeat the British in the cricket match. Gauri is portrayed as a gifted singer and dancer who also assists in teaching the locals how to play cricket.

• Captain Russell: Captain Russell, played by Paul Blackthorne, is the film's antagonist. He is portrayed as a ruthless and haughty individual who takes pleasure in oppressing the peasants and is the British commander in charge of the community. He consents to the wager of the cricket game in an effort to degrade the villagers, but they finally triumph.

• Captain Russell: Captain Russell, played by Paul Blackthorne, is the film's antagonist. He is portrayed as a ruthless and haughty individual who takes pleasure in oppressing the peasants and is the British commander in charge of the community. He consents to the wager of the cricket game in an effort to degrade the villagers, but they finally triumph.

• Guran: Raghubir Yadav plays the hilarious character Guran in the film. He serves as the film's comic relief and is the town jester. He is a talented drummer as well, and he contributes to the cricket matches' soundtrack.

Songs

Behind the scenes

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• Pre-production: Ashutosh Gowariker spent six months studying and preparing for the project. He also visited numerous villages in Gujarat to gain a better grasp of the people's way of life and culture.

• Aamir Khan, who played Bhuvan, took six months of intensive training to learn the game of cricket. The remainder of the cast, including Gracy Singh, Rachel Shelley, and Paul Blackthorne, went through training as well.

• Location: The majority of the film was shot in a small village called Bhuj in Gujarat, India. The producers created a full hamlet set there, complete with a cricket stadium that could hold thousands of people.

• The film is 224 minutes long, making it one of the longest Bollywood films ever created. Despite its length, it was a commercial and critical triumph, and it is regarded as one of the most famous films in Indian cinema history.

Controversy 

• Another debate erupted when some people accused the filmmakers of cultural appropriation. The music in the film is a blend of Indian and Western styles, and some viewers believed that the Western parts were given more emphasis than the Indian ones. The directors, on the other hand, defended their artistic choices, claiming that they were attempting to produce a unique and compelling soundtrack that would appeal to audiences of different backgrounds.

• One of the issues centered on the portrayal of British characters in the film. Some felt that the British characters were represented negatively and that the film promoted anti-British attitudes. 

Box Office Collection

The movie grossed a box office collection of 65.97. It was a big hit and loved by the audience.

 Awards

Interesting facts

• Ashutosh Gowariker, the director, wanted to cast Shah Rukh Khan in the lead role at first!

•   Aamir's first and second wives collaborated with him in Lagaan!

• In Lagaan, India triumphs over the British against all difficulties. However, the British team evidently believed that if the match had been played in real life, they would have triumphed. So they played a game, and they actually won! Only laughter reacts.

Conclusion 

Finally, "Lagaan" is a great Bollywood film that depicts an uplifting story of hope, persistence, and resilience in the face of adversity. Because of its fascinating characters, engaging plot, and magnificent cinematography, it remains one of the most popular and iconic films in Indian cinema history. The film's popularity not only gained critical acclaim and multiple prizes, but it also paved the way for a new era of Indian filmmaking that celebrated the country's vast cultural diversity.

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