Lagaan
Encyclopedia
Lagaan is a 2001 Bollywood sports film written and directed by Ashutosh Gowariker
. Aamir Khan
, who was also the producer for the film, stars with Gracy Singh
in the lead roles; British actors Rachel Shelley
and Paul Blackthorne
play the supporting roles. Made on a budget of , the film was shot in an ancient village near Bhuj
, India.
The film is set in the Victorian
period of the India's colonial British Raj
and revolves around the peasants from a barren village who are oppressed by high taxes imposed by their rulers. They attempt to persuade the British officers to reduce the taxes because of poor agricultural produce. Instead, a wager is offered. If their village team beats a British team in a game of cricket
, their taxes for three years would be cancelled. After accepting this wager, the villagers face the arduous task of learning an alien game and playing for a result that will change their village's destiny.
The film received critical acclaim and awards at various international film festivals, as well as many Indian film
awards. It also became the third Hindi-language film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
after Mother India
(1957) and Salaam Bombay!
(1988). It was one of the biggest box office hits of 2001 while its DVD sales were the highest ever for a Bollywood film up to 2007. In 2010, the film was ranked #55 in Empire
magazines "The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema". In 2011, the film was listed in Time Magazine's special "The All-TIME 25 Best Sports Movies".
, now in the State of Gujarat, in western India
during the height of the British Empire in India in 1893. Captain Andrew Russell (Paul Blackthorne
), the commanding officer of the Champaner cantonment
, has imposed high taxes ("lagaan") on people from the local villages which they will be unable to pay due to a prolonged drought. Led by Bhuvan (Aamir Khan
), the villagers beg Raja
Puran Singh (Kulbhushan Kharbanda
) to help them. He tells them that much to his regret, he is also bound by British law.
It is after their visit to the Raja that the people of the village first witness a cricket
match. Bhuvan mocks the game and gets into a fight with one of the British officers. Taking an instant dislike to Bhuvan, Russell offers to cancel the taxes of the whole province for three years if the villagers can beat his men in a game of cricket. If the villagers lose, however, they will have to pay three times the amount of their normal taxes. Bhuvan accepts this wager on the behalf of all villages without their consent. When the other villagers find out about the bet, they are furious with Bhuvan. He argues that it is important for everyone to fight against British rule.
Bhuvan thus begins to prepare the villagers for the match. He initially finds only five people willing to join the team. He is aided in his efforts by Russell's sister Elizabeth (Rachel Shelley
) who feels that her brother has mistreated the people in the villages. As she teaches them the rules of the game, she falls in love with Bhuvan, much to the anguish of Gauri (Gracy Singh
) who is also in love with him. After Bhuvan reassures Gauri of his feelings for her, the woodcutter Lakha (Yashpal Sharma) becomes enraged as he is also in love with Gauri. In an attempt to discredit Bhuvan, Lakha offers himself as a spy for Russell and joins the villager's team in order to destroy it. Eventually, as the villagers realise that winning equals freedom, and as a few of them are insulted by the Britishers, they join the team. Still short one player, Bhuvan also invites an untouchable
, Kachra (Aditya Lakhia
), who can bowl leg spin
. The villagers, conditioned by longterm prejudice against untouchables, refuse to play if Kachra joins the team. Bhuvan chastises the villagers, leading them to accept Kachra.
The second half of the film focuses on the match itself. On the first day, Russell wins the toss and elects to bat, giving the British officers a strong start. Bhuvan brings Kachra into the match only to find that Kachra has lost his ability to spin the ball. In addition, as part of his agreement with Russell, Lakha deliberately drops many catches. During the evening, however, Elizabeth sees Lakha meeting with her brother. She races to the village and informs Bhuvan of Lakha's deception. Rather than allow the villagers to kill him, Bhuvan offers Lakha the chance to redeem himself. The next day as part of his promise to Bhuvan, Lakha takes a diving one-handed catch. However the British score almost 300 runs, losing only three wickets
by the lunch break. Kachra is brought back to bowl and takes a hat trick
which sparks the British batting collapse..
The villagers soon start their innings. Bhuvan and Deva (a Sikh, who has played cricket earlier when he was a British sepoy) give their team a solid start. Deva misses out on his half-century when a straight-drive from Bhuvan ricochets off the bowler's hand onto the stumps at the non-striker's end, while Deva was backing up too far. When Lakha comes on to bat, he is hit by a bouncer on his head, and he falls on to his stumps. Other batsmen get out trying to score a boundary off each delivery. Ismail (Raj Zutshi), a good batsman, retires hurt as he is hit on his leg. The villager's team ends the day with 5 batsmen out of action with less than half of the required runs on board.
On the final day, Bhuvan passes his century
, while most of the later wickets fall. Ismail returns to bat with the help of a runner and reduces the required runs to a gettable total. The game comes down to the last over
with Kachra on strike. He knocks the ball a short distance and manages a single. The umpire signals no ball
leading Bhuvan to swing extremely hard at the next ball. Captain Russell backpedals and catches the ball, leading him to believe the British team has won. However, Russell has caught the ball beyond the boundary which gives the win to Bhuvan's team. At that moment, the drought ends as a rainstorm erupts.
Bhuvan's defeat of the British team leads to the disbanding of the humiliated cantonment. In addition, Russell is forced to pay the taxes for the whole province and is transferred to Central Africa. After realizing that Bhuvan loves Gauri, Elizabeth returns to London. Heartbroken, she remains unmarried for the rest of her life. Bhuvan marries Gauri.
has stated that it was almost impossible to make Lagaan. He first put forth the idea to Shahrukh Khan
who was not able to do the film and recommended Aamir Khan. Gowariker then went to Aamir, who agreed to participate after hearing the detailed script. Even after securing Khan, Ashutosh had trouble finding a producer. Producers who showed interest in the script wanted budget cuts as well as script modifications. Eventually, Aamir agreed to Ashutosh's suggestion that he'd produce the film. Aamir corroborated this by saying that the faith he had in Ashutosh, the story and script of the film, and the opportunity of starting his own production company inspired him to produce Lagaan. He also said that by being a producer himself, he was able to give greater creative freedom to Ashutosh. He cited an example:
Jhamu Sughand co-produced the film because he liked the emotional and patriotic story.
, the art director, with whom Ashutosh set out for extensive location hunt throughout India, to find the setting for the fictional town of Champaner, in the late 1998. After searching through Rajasthan, Nasik, UP, they zeroed in on an ancient village near Bhuj
, located in Gujarat's Kutch district, by May 1999, where the film was primarily shot.
The script demanded a dry location: an agricultural village where it had not rained in several years. To depict the 1890s era, the crew also required a village which lacked electricity, communication and automobiles. Kutch faced the same problems at that time and hence the village of Kanuria, located a few miles away from Bhuj, was chosen. During the filming of Lagaan, it did not rain at all in the region. However, a week after the shoot finished, it rained heavily bringing relief to Bhuj, which had a lean monsoon the previous year. The typical old Kutch hamlet was built by the local people four months before the arrival of the crew. They erected 56 small houses, many of them boongas (round-shaped huts), that were common in ancient Kutch. A village mukhiya (head), a blacksmith
and other such people occupied these houses. A temple was specially built on a hill, with Lord Krishna as its deity. At the end, all the female members of the crew and cast were presented with pieces of Kutchi embroidery made by the women of Bhuj.
The 2001 Gujarat earthquake
devastated this region and displaced many locals. The crew, including the English, contributed monetarily to their cause by donating Rs.
2.5 million, with further contributions during the year.
Avadhi, which is a dialect
of Hindi
, is primarily from a region in Uttar Pradesh
. This was chosen to give the feel of the language spoken during that era. However, the language was diluted so that modern viewers could understand it. The dialogues, which were a combination of three different dialects (Avadhi, Bhojpuri and Brajbhasha) were penned by Hindi writer K. P. Saxena
.
Bhanu Athaiya
, an Oscar
winner for Gandhi
, was the costume designer
for the film. With a large number of extras used in the film, it was difficult for her to make enough costumes. She spent a lot of time researching to lend authenticity to the characters of the film.
To get the distinct tanned look of the respective characters, the cast were asked to lie in the sun.
During the shooting, Ashutosh suffered from a slipped disc
and had to rest for 15 days. During this period, he had his bed next to the monitor and continued with his work.
The filming schedule spanned across the winter and summer commencing early January and finishing in mid-June. This was physically challenging to many with the temperatures ranging from 0 - 50 degrees Celsius. The actors had to drink frequently and sit in the shade. The schedule was strict. The day began at 6 a.m., changing into costumes and getting onto the actors' bus, which took them to the sets in Kanuria. The actors, including Aamir, all travelled on the same bus. If anyone missed it, it was up to them to reach the sets. One day, Aamir was late and missed the actors' bus that took them to the sets. That day, his wife Reena, the executive producer
, reprimanded him for being late. She told him he had to set an example for the rest of the crew. "If he started coming late, how could she tell the others to come on time?" While on the sets, the actors were given call sheets with the day's timetable such as breakfast, hair styling, make-up, costumes, etc.
subtitles. The film garnered a cumulative of $2.5 million at the international box-office and Rs. 38 crores at the domestic box-office.
In 2001, Lagaan had a world premiere at the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) weekend in Sun City
, South Africa. The Locarno International Film Festival
authorities published the rules of cricket before the film was screened to a crowd which reportedly danced to its soundtrack in the aisles. Lagaan was shown four times due to public demand as against the usual norm of showcasing films once at the festival. It subsequently won the Prix du Public award at the festival. After the film's publicity in Locarno, the director, Ashutosh Gowarikar said that distributors from Switzerland, Italy, France, Netherlands, North Africa, Finland and Germany were wanting to purchase the distribution rights. Special screenings were held in Russia, where people were keen to watch the film after its Oscar nomination.
Apart from these screenings, it was also screened at the Sundance Film Festival
, Cairo International Film Festival
, Stockholm International Film Festival
, Helsinki International Film Festival and the Toronto Film Festival.
has given it a 95% rating with 93 fresh and 12 rotten reviews. The average
score is 7.9/10. Derek Elley of Variety
suggested that the film "could be the trigger for Bollywood's long-awaited crossover to non-ethnic markets". Somni Sengupta of the New York Times, described it as "a carnivalesque genre packed with romance, swordplay and improbable song-and-dance routines" Roger Ebert
gave the film three and half out of four stars and said, "Lagaan is an enormously entertaining movie, like nothing we've ever seen before, and yet completely familiar… At the same time, it's a memory of the films we all grew up on, with clearly defined villains and heroes, a romantic triangle, and even a comic character who saves the day. Lagaan is a well-crafted, hugely entertaining epic that has the spice of a foreign culture." Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian
described the film as, "a lavish epic, a gorgeous love story, and a rollicking adventure yarn. Larger than life and outrageously enjoyable, it's got a dash of spaghetti western, a hint of Kurosawa, with a bracing shot of Kipling." Kuljinder Singh of the BBC
stated that, "Lagaan is anything but standard Bollywood fodder, and is the first must-see of the Indian summer. A movie that will have you laughing and crying, but leaving with a smile." Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times
argued that the film is "an affectionate homage to a popular genre that raises it to the level of an art film with fully drawn characters, a serious underlying theme, and a sophisticated style and point of view." Sudish Kamath of The Hindu
suggested that, "the movie is not just a story. It is an experience. An experience of watching something that puts life into you, that puts a cheer on your face, however depressed you might be." The Times of India
wrote, "Lagaan has all the attractions of big-sounding A. R. Rahman
songs, excellent performances by Aamir Khan… and a successful debut for pretty Gracy Singh. In addition, there is the celebrated David vs Goliath cricket match, which has audiences screaming and clapping." Perhaps one of the most emphatic recommendations for the movie, coming 10 years later, is by John Nugent of the Trenton Independent, who wrote "a masterpiece ... and what better way to learn a bit about India's colonial experience! History and great entertainment, all rolled in to one (albeit long) classic film."
Lagaan was also listed as number 14 on Channel Four's "50 Films to See Before you Die" and was the only Indian film to be listed.
. Khan said, "We just started showing it to whoever we could, even the hotel staff." About India's official entry to the 2002 Oscars, The Daily Telegraph
wrote, "A Bollywood film that portrays the British in India as ruthless sadists and Mafia-style crooks has been chosen as Delhi's official entry to the Academy Awards." It added that the film was expected to win the nomination.
On 12 February 2002, Lagaan was nominated for the best foreign language film at the Academy Award nominations ceremony. After the nomination, Khan reacted by saying, "To see the name of the film and actually hear it being nominated was very satisfying". Post-nomination reactions poured in from several parts of the world. The USA Today
wrote "Hooray for Bollywood, and India's Lagaan". With Sony Pictures Classics
distributing the film and Oscar-winning director Baz Luhrmann
praising it, Lagaan had a chance to win. The BBC
commented that the nomination raised Bollywood
hopes that Indian films would become more popular in the US. In India, the nomination was celebrated with news reports about a win bringing in "a great boost for the Indian film industry" and "a Bharat Ratna
for Aamir Khan and the status of a 'national film
' for Lagaan".
When Lagaan lost the award to the Bosnian film No Man's Land
, there was widespread disappointment in India. Khan said, "Certainly we were disappointed. But the thing that really kept us in our spirits was that the entire country was behind us." The Oscars were also criticised. Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt
said that the "American film industry was insular and the foreign category awards were given just for the sake of it." Gowarikar added that "Americans must learn to like our films".
The film won a number of national and international awards including seven National Film Awards, nine Filmfare Awards
, nine Star Screen Awards
and ten IIFA Awards. Apart from these major awards, it also won awards at other national and international ceremonies.
with lyrics by Javed Akhtar
. The Los Angeles Times
said that the "songs and dances are not mere interludes inserted in the action, bringing it to a halt—a Bollywood trademark—but are fully integrated into the plot and marked by expressive, dynamic singing and dancing that infuse a historical drama with energy and immediacy." A review of the tracks suggests that "the music is true to the time period (the British Raj)". Another review said: "A. R. Rahman
is again at his prodigious best. His score for Aamir Khan’s period drama Lagaan is a delectable blend of Indian classical music, folk melodies and jazzy snazzy tunes." The reviewer of Screen India said, "Great music, heard after a long time, which elevates your senses. That Rahman's among the best is proved here." The soundtrack was ranked #44 on Amazon.com
's "The 100 Greatest World Music Albums of All Time". The soundtrack won 3 National Film Awards
in three categories. A. R. Rahman
won the award for the best music
, Udit Narayan
won the Best Male Playback Singer Award
for "Mitwa" and Javed Akhtar
won the Best Lyrics Award
for "Ghanan Ghanan" and "Radha Kaise Na Jale". Lagaan also became the biggest audio hit of the year by topping the music charts and selling 3.5 million records within a year.
The second was released as anniversary edition three-disc DVD box after six years of the theatrical release. This also included Chale Chalo which was a documentary on the making of Lagaan, a curtain raiser on the making of the soundtrack, deleted scenes, trailers, along with other collectibles. After its release, it became the highest selling DVD in India beating Sholay
(1975).
filmstrip hand-cut from the film's filmstrip were bundled with the film.
A comic book, Lagaan: The Story, along with two coloring books, a mask book and a cricket board game
were subsequently released to the commercial market. The comic book, available in English and Hindi, was targeted for children between the ages of six and 14. At the book's launch, Aamir Khan said that they were keen to turn the film into a comic strip during the pre-production phase itself.
The cricket bat that Bhuvan used to score the winning runs
in the film was auctioned for 6 million Pakistani rupee
s as a fund raiser for a cancer hospital in Lahore
, Pakistan
.
In March 2002, a book titled The Spirit of Lagaan - The Extraordinary Story of the Creators of a Classic was published. It covers the making of the film, describing in detail about the setbacks and obstacles that the crew faced while developing the film from concept to its release.
Ashutosh Gowariker
Ashutosh Gowariker is an Indian film director, actor, writer and producer. He is known for directing the films Lagaan , Swades , Jodhaa Akbar , What's Your Raashee and Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey...
. Aamir Khan
Aamir Khan
Aamir Hussain Khan is an Indian film actor, director and producer who has established himself as one of the leading actors of Hindi cinema....
, who was also the producer for the film, stars with Gracy Singh
Gracy Singh
Gracy Singh , is an Indian actress. She is best known for her role as Gauri in Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India. She began her career touring with the dance group "The Planets" and her first acting role was in the television soap, Amanat...
in the lead roles; British actors Rachel Shelley
Rachel Shelley
Rachel Shelley is an English actress and model. She was born in Swindon. , Los Angeles Daily News and graduated from Sheffield University with a B.A...
and Paul Blackthorne
Paul Blackthorne
Paul Blackthorne is a British actor on film, television and radio. Although born in Shropshire, England, he spent his early childhood on British Military bases in both England and Germany. Blackthorne broke into acting via television commercials in England...
play the supporting roles. Made on a budget of , the film was shot in an ancient village near Bhuj
Bhuj
Bhuj is a city and a municipality in Kachchh district in the state of Gujarat, India.-History:It was established by Rao Hamirji in 1510 and was made the state capital by Rao Khengarji I in 1549. Its foundation stone as state capital laid formally on Vikram Samvat 1604 Maagha 5th...
, India.
The film is set in the Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
period of the India's colonial British Raj
British Raj
British Raj was the British rule in the Indian subcontinent between 1858 and 1947; The term can also refer to the period of dominion...
and revolves around the peasants from a barren village who are oppressed by high taxes imposed by their rulers. They attempt to persuade the British officers to reduce the taxes because of poor agricultural produce. Instead, a wager is offered. If their village team beats a British team in a game of cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
, their taxes for three years would be cancelled. After accepting this wager, the villagers face the arduous task of learning an alien game and playing for a result that will change their village's destiny.
The film received critical acclaim and awards at various international film festivals, as well as many Indian film
Cinema of India
The cinema of India consists of films produced across India, which includes the cinematic culture of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal. Indian films came to be followed throughout South Asia and...
awards. It also became the third Hindi-language film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
The Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film is one of the Academy Awards of Merit, popularly known as the Oscars, handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
after Mother India
Mother India
Mother India is a 1957 Hindi film epic, written and directed by Mehboob Khan and starring Nargis, Sunil Dutt, Rajendra Kumar and Raaj Kumar. The film, a melodrama, is a remake of Mehboob Khan's earlier film, Aurat...
(1957) and Salaam Bombay!
Salaam Bombay!
Salaam Bombay! is a 1988 Hindi film directed by Mira Nair, and screenwritten by her longtime creative collaborator, Sooni Taraporevala. The film chronicles the day-to-day life of children living on the streets of Bombay...
(1988). It was one of the biggest box office hits of 2001 while its DVD sales were the highest ever for a Bollywood film up to 2007. In 2010, the film was ranked #55 in Empire
Empire (magazine)
Empire is a British film magazine published monthly by Bauer Consumer Media. From the first issue in July 1989, the magazine was edited by Barry McIlheney and published by Emap. Bauer purchased Emap Consumer Media in early 2008...
magazines "The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema". In 2011, the film was listed in Time Magazine's special "The All-TIME 25 Best Sports Movies".
Plot
Lagaan takes place in the town of ChampanerChampaner
Champaner चंमपानेर شمبنر is a historical city in the state of Gujarat, in western India. It is located in Panchmahal district, 47 kilometres from the city of Vadodara. The city was briefly the capital of Gujarat....
, now in the State of Gujarat, in western India
West India
West India or the Western region of India consists of the states of Goa, Gujarat and Maharashtra, along with the Union Territories of Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli. It is highly industrialized, with a large urban population. Most of Western India was part of the Maratha Empire before...
during the height of the British Empire in India in 1893. Captain Andrew Russell (Paul Blackthorne
Paul Blackthorne
Paul Blackthorne is a British actor on film, television and radio. Although born in Shropshire, England, he spent his early childhood on British Military bases in both England and Germany. Blackthorne broke into acting via television commercials in England...
), the commanding officer of the Champaner cantonment
Cantonment
A cantonment is a temporary or semi-permanent military or police quarters. The word cantonment is derived from the French word canton meaning corner or district, as is the name of the Cantons of Switzerland. In South Asia, the term cantonment also describes permanent military stations...
, has imposed high taxes ("lagaan") on people from the local villages which they will be unable to pay due to a prolonged drought. Led by Bhuvan (Aamir Khan
Aamir Khan
Aamir Hussain Khan is an Indian film actor, director and producer who has established himself as one of the leading actors of Hindi cinema....
), the villagers beg Raja
Raja
Raja is an Indian term for a monarch, or princely ruler of the Kshatriya varna...
Puran Singh (Kulbhushan Kharbanda
Kulbhushan Kharbanda
Kulbhushan Kharbanda is an Indian actor, who worked in Hindi and Punjabi films, and is known as character Shakaal in Shaan inspired by the character of Blofeld from James Bond movies...
) to help them. He tells them that much to his regret, he is also bound by British law.
It is after their visit to the Raja that the people of the village first witness a cricket
Cricket in India
Cricket is the most popular sport in India; it is played by many people in open spaces throughout the country though it is not the nation's official national sport . The India national cricket team won the 1983 Cricket World Cup, the 2007 ICC World Twenty20, and the 2011 Cricket World Cup, and...
match. Bhuvan mocks the game and gets into a fight with one of the British officers. Taking an instant dislike to Bhuvan, Russell offers to cancel the taxes of the whole province for three years if the villagers can beat his men in a game of cricket. If the villagers lose, however, they will have to pay three times the amount of their normal taxes. Bhuvan accepts this wager on the behalf of all villages without their consent. When the other villagers find out about the bet, they are furious with Bhuvan. He argues that it is important for everyone to fight against British rule.
Bhuvan thus begins to prepare the villagers for the match. He initially finds only five people willing to join the team. He is aided in his efforts by Russell's sister Elizabeth (Rachel Shelley
Rachel Shelley
Rachel Shelley is an English actress and model. She was born in Swindon. , Los Angeles Daily News and graduated from Sheffield University with a B.A...
) who feels that her brother has mistreated the people in the villages. As she teaches them the rules of the game, she falls in love with Bhuvan, much to the anguish of Gauri (Gracy Singh
Gracy Singh
Gracy Singh , is an Indian actress. She is best known for her role as Gauri in Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India. She began her career touring with the dance group "The Planets" and her first acting role was in the television soap, Amanat...
) who is also in love with him. After Bhuvan reassures Gauri of his feelings for her, the woodcutter Lakha (Yashpal Sharma) becomes enraged as he is also in love with Gauri. In an attempt to discredit Bhuvan, Lakha offers himself as a spy for Russell and joins the villager's team in order to destroy it. Eventually, as the villagers realise that winning equals freedom, and as a few of them are insulted by the Britishers, they join the team. Still short one player, Bhuvan also invites an untouchable
Dalit
Dalit is a designation for a group of people traditionally regarded as Untouchable. Dalits are a mixed population, consisting of numerous castes from all over South Asia; they speak a variety of languages and practice a multitude of religions...
, Kachra (Aditya Lakhia
Aditya Lakhia
Aditya Lakhia is an Indian character actor. He began his acting career in 1988 playing small roles and as an assistant director in Akele Hum Akele Tum. The character of Kachra in the movie Lagaan remains one the most memorable performance...
), who can bowl leg spin
Leg spin
Leg spin is a type of spin bowling in the sport of cricket. A leg spinner bowls right-arm with a wrist spin action, causing the ball to spin from right to left in the cricket pitch, at the point of delivery. When the ball bounces, the spin causes the ball to deviate sharply from right to left, that...
. The villagers, conditioned by longterm prejudice against untouchables, refuse to play if Kachra joins the team. Bhuvan chastises the villagers, leading them to accept Kachra.
The second half of the film focuses on the match itself. On the first day, Russell wins the toss and elects to bat, giving the British officers a strong start. Bhuvan brings Kachra into the match only to find that Kachra has lost his ability to spin the ball. In addition, as part of his agreement with Russell, Lakha deliberately drops many catches. During the evening, however, Elizabeth sees Lakha meeting with her brother. She races to the village and informs Bhuvan of Lakha's deception. Rather than allow the villagers to kill him, Bhuvan offers Lakha the chance to redeem himself. The next day as part of his promise to Bhuvan, Lakha takes a diving one-handed catch. However the British score almost 300 runs, losing only three wickets
Dismissal (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a dismissal occurs when the batsman is out . Colloquially, the fielding team is also said to have snared, bagged or captured a wicket. At this point a batsman must discontinue batting and leave the field permanently for the innings...
by the lunch break. Kachra is brought back to bowl and takes a hat trick
Hat Trick
Hat trick, hat-trick or hattrick may refer to:* hat-trick — in various sports, achieving three goals, wickets, etc. in a single match* Hattrick — online football management game** Hattrick Limited — producers of this game...
which sparks the British batting collapse..
The villagers soon start their innings. Bhuvan and Deva (a Sikh, who has played cricket earlier when he was a British sepoy) give their team a solid start. Deva misses out on his half-century when a straight-drive from Bhuvan ricochets off the bowler's hand onto the stumps at the non-striker's end, while Deva was backing up too far. When Lakha comes on to bat, he is hit by a bouncer on his head, and he falls on to his stumps. Other batsmen get out trying to score a boundary off each delivery. Ismail (Raj Zutshi), a good batsman, retires hurt as he is hit on his leg. The villager's team ends the day with 5 batsmen out of action with less than half of the required runs on board.
On the final day, Bhuvan passes his century
Century (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a batsman reaches his century when he scores 100 or more runs in a single innings. The term is also included in "century partnership" which occurs when two batsmen add 100 runs to the team total when they are batting together. A century is regarded as a landmark score for...
, while most of the later wickets fall. Ismail returns to bat with the help of a runner and reduces the required runs to a gettable total. The game comes down to the last over
Over (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, an over is a set of six consecutive balls bowled in succession. An over is normally bowled by a single bowler. However, in the event of injury preventing a bowler from completing an over, it is completed by a teammate....
with Kachra on strike. He knocks the ball a short distance and manages a single. The umpire signals no ball
No ball
In the sport of cricket a no ball is a penalty against the fielding team, usually as a result of an illegal delivery by the bowler. The delivery of a no ball results in one run to be added to the batting team's score, and an additional ball must be bowled...
leading Bhuvan to swing extremely hard at the next ball. Captain Russell backpedals and catches the ball, leading him to believe the British team has won. However, Russell has caught the ball beyond the boundary which gives the win to Bhuvan's team. At that moment, the drought ends as a rainstorm erupts.
Bhuvan's defeat of the British team leads to the disbanding of the humiliated cantonment. In addition, Russell is forced to pay the taxes for the whole province and is transferred to Central Africa. After realizing that Bhuvan loves Gauri, Elizabeth returns to London. Heartbroken, she remains unmarried for the rest of her life. Bhuvan marries Gauri.
Cast
- Aamir KhanAamir KhanAamir Hussain Khan is an Indian film actor, director and producer who has established himself as one of the leading actors of Hindi cinema....
as Bhuvan (Carpenter, Captain and All-rounder). Ashutosh first thought of having Shahrukh KhanShahrukh KhanShahrukh Khan , often credited as Shah Rukh Khan, is an Indian film actor, as well as a film producer and television host. Often referred to as "the King of Bollywood", Khan has acted in over 70 Hindi films....
and Abhishek BachchanAbhishek BachchanAbhishek Bachchan is an Indian actor and producer. He is the son of Indian actors Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan and is married to actress and former Miss World Aishwarya Rai....
for the role of Bhuvan. After Bachchan chose to enter cinema with J. P. DuttaJ. P. DuttaJyoti Prakash Dutta is an Indian Bollywood film producer and director. Mr. Dutta produces his films under the banner of JP Films. He is known for directing many patriotic war films and films in the action genre...
's RefugeeRefugee (film)Refugee is a Bollywood film directed by J. P. Dutta, released on 30 June 2000. The film marked the debut of Abhishek Bachchan, son of legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan, and Kareena Kapoor, the sister of actress Karisma Kapoor and part of the famous Kapoor family. Jackie Shroff, Sunil Shetty and...
(2000), Aamir was approached with the idea. - Gracy SinghGracy SinghGracy Singh , is an Indian actress. She is best known for her role as Gauri in Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India. She began her career touring with the dance group "The Planets" and her first acting role was in the television soap, Amanat...
as Gauri. Several actresses had offered to act in the film, but Aamir needed someone who matched the description of the character given in the script. After considering Sonali BendreSonali BendreSonali Bendre is an Indian actress and model. She has mostly starred in Bollywood films but has acted in many Telugu films as well as a number of Marathi, Tamil and Kannada films. She was also one of the four judges in the fourth season of Indian Idol and India's Got Talent...
, Nandita DasNandita DasNandita Das is an award-winning Indian film actress and director. As an actress, she is known for her performances in Fire , Earth , Bawandar , Kannathil Muthamittal and Aamaar Bhuvan . As a director, she is known for her directorial debut Firaaq , which has won a number of national and...
, Rani MukerjiRani MukerjiRani Mukerji is an Indian film actress who works in Hindi movies. In the course of her film career, she has received six Filmfare Awards, among twelve nominations....
and Amisha PatelAmisha PatelAmeesha Patel is an Indian actress who appears in mainly Bollywood movies. Making her acting debut in the blockbuster Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai , Patel won critical praise for her performance in Gadar: Ek Prem Katha , which became one of the biggest hits in the history of Hindi cinema, earning her a ...
for the role, Ashutosh selected Gracy Singh for the female lead because he was convinced that she was a good actress and dancer and resembles to actress VyjayanthimalaVyjayanthimalaVyjayanthimala Bali is an Indian film actress, Bharathanatyam dancer, carnatic singer, dance choreographer, golfer and a Parliamentarian....
. Singh, a newcomer, devoted all her time to the film. - Rachel ShelleyRachel ShelleyRachel Shelley is an English actress and model. She was born in Swindon. , Los Angeles Daily News and graduated from Sheffield University with a B.A...
as Elizabeth Russell - Paul BlackthornePaul BlackthornePaul Blackthorne is a British actor on film, television and radio. Although born in Shropshire, England, he spent his early childhood on British Military bases in both England and Germany. Blackthorne broke into acting via television commercials in England...
as Captain Andrew Russell. Since the script also demanded a British cast, Ashutosh and Aamir hired Danielle Roffe as one of the casting directors. After Danielle and Ashutosh screen-tested many, Rachel ShelleyRachel ShelleyRachel Shelley is an English actress and model. She was born in Swindon. , Los Angeles Daily News and graduated from Sheffield University with a B.A...
and Paul BlackthornePaul BlackthornePaul Blackthorne is a British actor on film, television and radio. Although born in Shropshire, England, he spent his early childhood on British Military bases in both England and Germany. Blackthorne broke into acting via television commercials in England...
were chosen for the prime roles. Overall, the film cast 15 foreign actors. - Suhasini MulaySuhasini MulaySuhasini Mulay is an Indian actress in Bollywood and Marathi films as well as television. She won National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1999, for her performance in Gulzar's film Hu Tu Tu.-Early life and education:...
as Yashodamai, Bhuvan's mother - Kulbhushan KharbandaKulbhushan KharbandaKulbhushan Kharbanda is an Indian actor, who worked in Hindi and Punjabi films, and is known as character Shakaal in Shaan inspired by the character of Blofeld from James Bond movies...
as Raja Puran Singh - Raghuvir YadavRaghuvir YadavRaghubir Yadav is a two-time International Award winner Indian stage, film and television actor, music composer, singer and set designer.-Biography:...
as Bhura (seamer), the poultry farmer. Yadav played the role of the Legendary Haji NasruddinNasreddinNasreddin was a Seljuq satirical Sufi figure, sometimes believed to have lived during the Middle Ages and considered a populist philosopher and wise man, remembered for his funny stories and anecdotes. He appears in thousands of stories, sometimes witty, sometimes wise, but often, too, a fool or...
in the Teleplay by the name "Mullah Nasiruddin" and also has given many a memorable performances such as Mungerilal Ke Haseen SapneMungerilal Ke Haseen SapneMungerilal Ke Haseen Sapne was a popular Hindi TV comedy serial directed by Prakash Jha that revolved around the life of Mungerilal, played by Raghubir Yadav...
. Yadav was selected based on his performance in EarthEarth (1998 film)Earth is a 1998 film directed by Deepa Mehta. It is based upon Bapsi Sidhwa's novel, Cracking India, . Earth is the second part of Mehta's Elements trilogy...
(1998). He had undergone an appendicectomyAppendicectomyAn appendectomy is the surgical removal of the vermiform appendix. This procedure is normally performed as an emergency procedure, when the patient is suffering from acute appendicitis...
operation in-between the filming schedule and returned to complete some of his scenes. - Rajesh VivekRajesh VivekRajesh Vivek is a Marathi Actor who is best known to Hindi movie audiences for his role of the astrologer Guran in Lagaan or as the Postman/Postmaster in Swades. He made his mark as a villain in the beginning with films like Veerana and Tridev, often playing roles of henchman- but later on he...
as Guran (seamer), the fortune teller. Vivek was spotted by Ashutosh in the film JunoonJunoon (1978 film)The soundtrack features 4 songs, composed by Vanraj Bhatia, with original lyrics from Yogesh Praveen and other lyrics by Amir Khusro, Jigar Moradabadi and Sant Kabir.#"Khusro rain piya ki jaagi pee ke sang" – Jamil Ahmad...
(1978). His liking for cricket helped him in his role. - Raj Zutshi as Ismail (batsman), the potter. Zutshi's friendship with Aamir and association in several films brought him the role after the auditions.
- Pradeep RawatPradeep RawatPradeep Singh Rawat is an Indian actor. He is a Rajput and notable for playing villainous roles in Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam and Tamil films.Rawat's first appearance was in Mahabharat as 'Ashwathama', Dronacharya's son...
as Deva (all-rounder), a SikhSikhA Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
sepoy. Rawat's association with Aamir in SarfaroshSarfaroshSarfarosh was a critically and commercially successful action film, released in 1999. It was directed by John Matthew Matthan and starred Aamir Khan, Sonali Bendre and Naseeruddin Shah. John started working on Sarfarosh in 1992...
(1999) brought him the role of Deva which was initially intended for Mukesh RishiMukesh RishiMukesh Rishi is an Indian film actor who works in Bollywood and Tollywood and Canada. Coming from a brahmin family in Jammu, Mukesh was the first person in his family to try his luck in the world of cinema...
. Rawat claimed that it was the highest ever compensation he received in his career. - Akhilendra MishraAkhilendra MishraAkhilendra Mishra is an Indian film and television character actor. He hails from Magadh, Bihar. He generally plays negative roles and is famous for his work as Kroor Singh in the 1990s Doordarshan fantasy television series Chandrakanta, and Mirchi Seth in the 1999 Bollywood film Sarfarosh.He...
as Arjan (batsman), the blacksmith. He is insulted by Captain Russell, as he fixes horse-shoe on the Captain's Horse and involuntarily hurts the animal. Captain who is enraged by the reprimand he received from his seniors for arranging a Cricket Match with the villagers for avoiding taxes, is furious to find his favourite animal hurt and he beats Arjan. After which Arjan joins the team of Bhuvan. Mishra has acted as "Ekku" Kroor Singh in the Teleserial ChandrakantaChandrakantaChandrakanta can refer to:*Chandrakanta, a Hindi novel by Devaki Nandan Khatri*Chandrakanta Santati, another novel by Devaki Nandan Khatri*Princess Chandrakanta, the main character in above two novels...
and also in the film The Legend of Bhagat SinghThe Legend of Bhagat SinghThe Legend of Bhagat Singh is a 2002 Hindi historic biographical film about Bhagat Singh, a freedom fighter who fought for Indian independence. It was directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and starred Ajay Devgan, Sushant Singh, and Ian Davies...
(2002) as Chandrashekhar Azad alongside Ajay DevganAjay DevganAjay Devgan , born Vishal Veeru Devgan on 2 April 1969, is an Indian film actor, director, and producer.He made his film debut with Phool Aur Kaante in 1991 and received a Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut for his performance in the film and for which he won a Filmfare Best Debut Award...
who performed the role of Bhagat Singh. - Daya Shankar Pandey as Goli (seamer), the man with the largest piece of land. Pandey, who preferred the role of Kachra, was known to Aamir and Ashutosh through previous films (Pehla Nasha (1993), BaaziBaazi (1995 film)Baazi is a 1995 Bollywood action film directed by Ashutosh Gowarikar and starring Aamir Khan and Mamta Kulkarni. This film fabricated the base for Aamir Khan's selection as the determined police officer in the blockbuster Sarfarosh which turned out to be one of Aamir Khan's best performances as a...
(1995) and GhulamGhulamGhulam is a 1998 Hindi film directed by Vikram Bhatt and starring Aamir Khan. The film was inspired by Elia Kazan's On the Waterfront . It is the second remake of On the Waterfront after Kabzaa starring Sanjay Dutt...
(1998)). Pandey credited Ashutosh for his acting in the film, saying that Ashutosh and he would discuss the required emotions and expressions before shooting. - Shri Vallabh Vyas as Ishwar (wicket-keeper), the vaidya (doctor) in the village and Gauri's father.
- Yashpal SharmaYashpal Sharma (actor)Yashpal Sharma is an Indian actor. He is best known for his role as Randhir Singh in Sudhir Mishra's 2003 Hindi movie Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, apart from Lagaan , Gangaajal , Ab Tak Chhappan , Apaharan and Singh is Kinng and his role as Kuwar Singh in Zee's Mera Naam Karegi Roshan.-Early life...
as Lakha (batsman), the woodcutter. Sharma was chosen by Ashutosh after his portrayal in SamarSamar (film)Samar is an Indian feature film directed by Shyam Benegal. It was produced by National Film Development Corporation of India, a government agency....
(1999). He said it was a good experience working with Aamir and Ashutosh during the film. - Amin Hajee as Bagha (batsman), the mute drummer. Hajee earlier worked in a film with Ashutosh. The friendly association brought Ashutosh to him with the script, which he liked, and thereafter he successfully auditioned for his role. His knowledge of mute people and some assistance from a music band helped him better prepare for his role. Ashutosh, who believed that Amin was like Sylvester StalloneSylvester StalloneMichael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone , commonly known as Sylvester Stallone, and nicknamed Sly Stallone, is an American actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, film director and occasional painter. Stallone is known for his machismo and Hollywood action roles. Two of the notable characters he has portrayed...
, would refer to him as Stallone during filming. - Aditya LakhiaAditya LakhiaAditya Lakhia is an Indian character actor. He began his acting career in 1988 playing small roles and as an assistant director in Akele Hum Akele Tum. The character of Kachra in the movie Lagaan remains one the most memorable performance...
as Kachra (spinner), the untouchable. Lakhia's association with Ashutosh in Kabhi Haan Kabhi NaaKabhi Haan Kabhi NaaKabhi Haan Kabhi Naa is a 1993 Indian Bollywood film directed by Kundan Shah, and starring Shahrukh Khan, Suchitra Krishnamurthy, and Deepak Tijori. This is one of the rare mainstream Hindi movies in which the hero plays the role of a loser...
(1993) and Pehla Nasha (1993) brought him this role. He read the book Everyone Loves a Good Drought by P. SainathP. SainathPalagummi Sainath is an Indian journalist. He calls himself a 'rural reporter', or simply a 'reporter' – and photojournalist focusing on social problems, rural affairs, poverty and the aftermaths of globalization in India...
to better understand and portray his character. - Javed KhanJaved KhanJaved Khan is an Indian actor who has acted in minor roles in more than 150 films.He is best known for his role in movie Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India, Andaz Apna Apna as Anand Akela, and TV series Mirza Ghalib & Nukkad.-Films:...
as Ram Singh, Indian who works with British and helps Elizabeth in translating villagers language. - A. K. HangalA. K. HangalAvtar Kishan Hangal , popularly known as A. K. Hangal, is a well known Indian character actor in Hindi language films. His most notable roles are as the Inder Sen in Shaukeen, as Rahim Chacha in Sholay and as Ram Shastri in Aaina...
as Shambu Kaka
Origins
Director Ashutosh GowarikerAshutosh Gowariker
Ashutosh Gowariker is an Indian film director, actor, writer and producer. He is known for directing the films Lagaan , Swades , Jodhaa Akbar , What's Your Raashee and Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey...
has stated that it was almost impossible to make Lagaan. He first put forth the idea to Shahrukh Khan
Shahrukh Khan
Shahrukh Khan , often credited as Shah Rukh Khan, is an Indian film actor, as well as a film producer and television host. Often referred to as "the King of Bollywood", Khan has acted in over 70 Hindi films....
who was not able to do the film and recommended Aamir Khan. Gowariker then went to Aamir, who agreed to participate after hearing the detailed script. Even after securing Khan, Ashutosh had trouble finding a producer. Producers who showed interest in the script wanted budget cuts as well as script modifications. Eventually, Aamir agreed to Ashutosh's suggestion that he'd produce the film. Aamir corroborated this by saying that the faith he had in Ashutosh, the story and script of the film, and the opportunity of starting his own production company inspired him to produce Lagaan. He also said that by being a producer himself, he was able to give greater creative freedom to Ashutosh. He cited an example:
"If the director tells the producer that he wants 50 camels, the latter will probably say, 'Why not 25? Can't you manage with 25 camels?' Whereas, if he is telling me the same thing… I will not waste time asking him questions because I am also creatively aware why he needs them."
Jhamu Sughand co-produced the film because he liked the emotional and patriotic story.
Location, language and costumes
One of the first members to join the production team was Nitin Chandrakant DesaiNitin Chandrakant Desai
Nitin Chandrakant Desai, is a noted Indian art director and production designer of Indian cinema turned film and television producer, most known for his work in films like, Lagaan , Jodhaa Akbar , Devdas and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam...
, the art director, with whom Ashutosh set out for extensive location hunt throughout India, to find the setting for the fictional town of Champaner, in the late 1998. After searching through Rajasthan, Nasik, UP, they zeroed in on an ancient village near Bhuj
Bhuj
Bhuj is a city and a municipality in Kachchh district in the state of Gujarat, India.-History:It was established by Rao Hamirji in 1510 and was made the state capital by Rao Khengarji I in 1549. Its foundation stone as state capital laid formally on Vikram Samvat 1604 Maagha 5th...
, located in Gujarat's Kutch district, by May 1999, where the film was primarily shot.
The script demanded a dry location: an agricultural village where it had not rained in several years. To depict the 1890s era, the crew also required a village which lacked electricity, communication and automobiles. Kutch faced the same problems at that time and hence the village of Kanuria, located a few miles away from Bhuj, was chosen. During the filming of Lagaan, it did not rain at all in the region. However, a week after the shoot finished, it rained heavily bringing relief to Bhuj, which had a lean monsoon the previous year. The typical old Kutch hamlet was built by the local people four months before the arrival of the crew. They erected 56 small houses, many of them boongas (round-shaped huts), that were common in ancient Kutch. A village mukhiya (head), a blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
and other such people occupied these houses. A temple was specially built on a hill, with Lord Krishna as its deity. At the end, all the female members of the crew and cast were presented with pieces of Kutchi embroidery made by the women of Bhuj.
The 2001 Gujarat earthquake
2001 Gujarat earthquake
The 2001 Gujarat earthquake occurred on January 26, 2001, India's 52nd Republic Day, at 08:46 AM local time and lasted for over two minutes. The epicentre was about 9 km south-southwest of the village of Chobari in Bhachau Taluka of Kutch District of Gujarat, India...
devastated this region and displaced many locals. The crew, including the English, contributed monetarily to their cause by donating Rs.
Indian rupee
The Indian rupee is the official currency of the Republic of India. The issuance of the currency is controlled by the Reserve Bank of India....
2.5 million, with further contributions during the year.
Avadhi, which is a dialect
Dialect
The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...
of Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
, is primarily from a region in Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
. This was chosen to give the feel of the language spoken during that era. However, the language was diluted so that modern viewers could understand it. The dialogues, which were a combination of three different dialects (Avadhi, Bhojpuri and Brajbhasha) were penned by Hindi writer K. P. Saxena
K. P. Saxena
K. P. Saxena is a Lucknow-based satirist and writer. He was employed by the Indian Railways but he was a prolific writer for magazines and newspapers.He was awarded Padma Shri by Government of India, in year 2000....
.
Bhanu Athaiya
Bhanu Athaiya
Bhanu Athaiya née Rajopadhye is Indian cinema's most well-regarded costume designer, having worked in over 100 films, since 1950s, with noted filmmakers like Guru Dutt, Yash Chopra, Raj Kapoor, Ashutosh Gowariker, and international directors like Conrad Rooks and Richard Attenborough.She made her...
, an Oscar
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
winner for Gandhi
Gandhi (film)
Gandhi is a 1982 biographical film based on the life of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, who led the nonviolent resistance movement against British colonial rule in India during the first half of the 20th century. The film was directed by Richard Attenborough and stars Ben Kingsley as Gandhi. They both...
, was the costume designer
Costume Designer
A costume designer or costume mistress/master is a person whose responsibility is to design costumes for a film or stage production. He or she is considered an important part of the "production team", working alongside the director, scenic and lighting designers as well as the sound designer. The...
for the film. With a large number of extras used in the film, it was difficult for her to make enough costumes. She spent a lot of time researching to lend authenticity to the characters of the film.
To get the distinct tanned look of the respective characters, the cast were asked to lie in the sun.
Filming
Pre-planning for a year, including ten months for production issues and two months for his character, was tiring for Aamir. As a first-time producer, he obtained a crew of about 300 people for six months. Due to the lack of comfortable hotels in Bhuj, he hired a newly-constructed apartment and furnished it completely for the crew. Security was set up and a special housekeeping team was brought to take care of the crew's needs. Most of the 19th century tools and equipment depicted in the film were lent to the crew by the local villagers. Initially, they did not want to part with their equipment, but after much coaxing, they gave in. They then traveled to different parts of the country to collect the musical instruments used in that day and era.During the shooting, Ashutosh suffered from a slipped disc
Spinal disc herniation
A spinal disc herniation , informally and misleadingly called a "slipped disc", is a medical condition affecting the spine due to trauma, lifting injuries, or idiopathic, in which a tear in the outer, fibrous ring of an intervertebral disc allows the soft, central portion A spinal disc herniation...
and had to rest for 15 days. During this period, he had his bed next to the monitor and continued with his work.
The filming schedule spanned across the winter and summer commencing early January and finishing in mid-June. This was physically challenging to many with the temperatures ranging from 0 - 50 degrees Celsius. The actors had to drink frequently and sit in the shade. The schedule was strict. The day began at 6 a.m., changing into costumes and getting onto the actors' bus, which took them to the sets in Kanuria. The actors, including Aamir, all travelled on the same bus. If anyone missed it, it was up to them to reach the sets. One day, Aamir was late and missed the actors' bus that took them to the sets. That day, his wife Reena, the executive producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
, reprimanded him for being late. She told him he had to set an example for the rest of the crew. "If he started coming late, how could she tell the others to come on time?" While on the sets, the actors were given call sheets with the day's timetable such as breakfast, hair styling, make-up, costumes, etc.
Release
Before its worldwide release, Aamir Khan kept a promise to screen the film to the locals of Bhuj. The film made it to the UK Top 10 after its commercial release. The film, which was the first Indian film to have a nationwide release in China, had its dubbed version released in Italy. With favorable reviews from the French press, the film premiered in Paris on 26 June 2002 and continued to have an unprecedented nine weeks of screening with over 45,000 people watching the film. It was also released in United States, France, Germany, Japan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, South Africa and the Middle East with respective vernacularVernacular
A vernacular is the native language or native dialect of a specific population, as opposed to a language of wider communication that is not native to the population, such as a national language or lingua franca.- Etymology :The term is not a recent one...
subtitles. The film garnered a cumulative of $2.5 million at the international box-office and Rs. 38 crores at the domestic box-office.
In 2001, Lagaan had a world premiere at the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) weekend in Sun City
Sun City, North West
Sun City is a luxury casino and resort, situated in the North West Province of South Africa. It is located about two hours' drive from Johannesburg, near the city of Rustenburg. The complex borders the Pilanesberg Game Reserve.- History :...
, South Africa. The Locarno International Film Festival
Locarno International Film Festival
The Film Festival Locarno is an international film festival held annually in the city of Locarno, Switzerland since 1946. After Cannes and Venice and together with Karlovy Vary, Locarno is the Film Festival with the longest history...
authorities published the rules of cricket before the film was screened to a crowd which reportedly danced to its soundtrack in the aisles. Lagaan was shown four times due to public demand as against the usual norm of showcasing films once at the festival. It subsequently won the Prix du Public award at the festival. After the film's publicity in Locarno, the director, Ashutosh Gowarikar said that distributors from Switzerland, Italy, France, Netherlands, North Africa, Finland and Germany were wanting to purchase the distribution rights. Special screenings were held in Russia, where people were keen to watch the film after its Oscar nomination.
Apart from these screenings, it was also screened at the Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
, Cairo International Film Festival
Cairo International Film Festival
The Cairo International Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Cairo, Egypt. It was established in 1976 and was the first international film festival held in the Arab world...
, Stockholm International Film Festival
Stockholm International Film Festival
The Stockholm International Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Stockholm, Sweden. It was launched in 1990 and has been held every year in the second half of November...
, Helsinki International Film Festival and the Toronto Film Festival.
Reception
The film received a number of positive reviews. As of 24 January 2010, Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
has given it a 95% rating with 93 fresh and 12 rotten reviews. The average
Weighted mean
The weighted mean is similar to an arithmetic mean , where instead of each of the data points contributing equally to the final average, some data points contribute more than others...
score is 7.9/10. Derek Elley of Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
suggested that the film "could be the trigger for Bollywood's long-awaited crossover to non-ethnic markets". Somni Sengupta of the New York Times, described it as "a carnivalesque genre packed with romance, swordplay and improbable song-and-dance routines" Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
gave the film three and half out of four stars and said, "Lagaan is an enormously entertaining movie, like nothing we've ever seen before, and yet completely familiar… At the same time, it's a memory of the films we all grew up on, with clearly defined villains and heroes, a romantic triangle, and even a comic character who saves the day. Lagaan is a well-crafted, hugely entertaining epic that has the spice of a foreign culture." Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
described the film as, "a lavish epic, a gorgeous love story, and a rollicking adventure yarn. Larger than life and outrageously enjoyable, it's got a dash of spaghetti western, a hint of Kurosawa, with a bracing shot of Kipling." Kuljinder Singh of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
stated that, "Lagaan is anything but standard Bollywood fodder, and is the first must-see of the Indian summer. A movie that will have you laughing and crying, but leaving with a smile." Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
argued that the film is "an affectionate homage to a popular genre that raises it to the level of an art film with fully drawn characters, a serious underlying theme, and a sophisticated style and point of view." Sudish Kamath of The Hindu
The Hindu
The Hindu is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Chennai since 1878. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it has a circulation of 1.46 million copies as of December 2009. The enterprise employed over 1,600 workers and gross income reached $40...
suggested that, "the movie is not just a story. It is an experience. An experience of watching something that puts life into you, that puts a cheer on your face, however depressed you might be." The Times of India
The Times of India
The Times of India is an Indian English-language daily newspaper. TOI has the largest circulation among all English-language newspaper in the world, across all formats . It is owned and managed by Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd...
wrote, "Lagaan has all the attractions of big-sounding A. R. Rahman
A. R. Rahman
Allah Rakha Rahman is an Indian composer, singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and philanthropist. Described as the world's most prominent and prolific film composer by Time, his works are notable for integrating eastern classical music with electronic music sounds, world music genres and...
songs, excellent performances by Aamir Khan… and a successful debut for pretty Gracy Singh. In addition, there is the celebrated David vs Goliath cricket match, which has audiences screaming and clapping." Perhaps one of the most emphatic recommendations for the movie, coming 10 years later, is by John Nugent of the Trenton Independent, who wrote "a masterpiece ... and what better way to learn a bit about India's colonial experience! History and great entertainment, all rolled in to one (albeit long) classic film."
Lagaan was also listed as number 14 on Channel Four's "50 Films to See Before you Die" and was the only Indian film to be listed.
Awards
Aamir Khan and Gowariker went to Los Angeles to generate publicity for the Academy AwardsAcademy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
. Khan said, "We just started showing it to whoever we could, even the hotel staff." About India's official entry to the 2002 Oscars, The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
wrote, "A Bollywood film that portrays the British in India as ruthless sadists and Mafia-style crooks has been chosen as Delhi's official entry to the Academy Awards." It added that the film was expected to win the nomination.
On 12 February 2002, Lagaan was nominated for the best foreign language film at the Academy Award nominations ceremony. After the nomination, Khan reacted by saying, "To see the name of the film and actually hear it being nominated was very satisfying". Post-nomination reactions poured in from several parts of the world. The USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
wrote "Hooray for Bollywood, and India's Lagaan". With Sony Pictures Classics
Sony Pictures Classics
Sony Pictures Classics is an art-house film division of Sony Pictures Entertainment founded in December 1991 that distributes, produces and acquires specialty films from the United States and around the world. Its co-presidents are Michael Barker and Tom Bernard...
distributing the film and Oscar-winning director Baz Luhrmann
Baz Luhrmann
Mark Anthony "Baz" Luhrmann is an Australian film director, screenwriter, and producer best known for The Red Curtain Trilogy, which includes his films Strictly Ballroom, William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge!...
praising it, Lagaan had a chance to win. The BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
commented that the nomination raised Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
hopes that Indian films would become more popular in the US. In India, the nomination was celebrated with news reports about a win bringing in "a great boost for the Indian film industry" and "a Bharat Ratna
Bharat Ratna
Bharat Ratna is the Republic of India's highest civilian award, awarded for the highest degrees of national service. This service includes artistic, literary, and scientific achievements, as well as "recognition of public service of the highest order." Unlike knights, holders of the Bharat Ratna...
for Aamir Khan and the status of a 'national film
National Film Award for Best Film
The National Award for Best Feature film is one of the National Film Awards presented annually by the Directorate of Film Festivals, India, and was constituted in the year 1954. This is one of the Golden Lotus Awards given among National Film Awards...
' for Lagaan".
When Lagaan lost the award to the Bosnian film No Man's Land
No Man's Land (2001 film)
No Man's Land is a 2001 tragic war drama that is set in the midst of the Bosnian war. The film is a parable and marked the debut of Bosnian writer and director Danis Tanović...
, there was widespread disappointment in India. Khan said, "Certainly we were disappointed. But the thing that really kept us in our spirits was that the entire country was behind us." The Oscars were also criticised. Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt
Mahesh Bhatt
Mahesh Bhatt , is a prominent Indian film director, producer and screenwriter.Bhatt's early directional career consisted of acclaimed films, such as Arth, Saaransh, Janam, Naam and Zakhm....
said that the "American film industry was insular and the foreign category awards were given just for the sake of it." Gowarikar added that "Americans must learn to like our films".
The film won a number of national and international awards including seven National Film Awards, nine Filmfare Awards
Filmfare Awards
The Filmfare Awards are presented annually by The Times Group to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in the Hindi language film industry of India. The Filmfare ceremony is one of the oldest and most prominent film events given for Hindi films in India. The awards were...
, nine Star Screen Awards
Star Screen Awards
The Star Screen Awards is an annual awards ceremony in India honoring professional excellence in film. The nomination and award selection is done by a panel of distinguished professional from the industry itself.- History :...
and ten IIFA Awards. Apart from these major awards, it also won awards at other national and international ceremonies.
Soundtrack
The acclaimed soundtrack for the film was composed by A. R. RahmanA. R. Rahman
Allah Rakha Rahman is an Indian composer, singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and philanthropist. Described as the world's most prominent and prolific film composer by Time, his works are notable for integrating eastern classical music with electronic music sounds, world music genres and...
with lyrics by Javed Akhtar
Javed Akhtar
Javed Akhtar is a poet, lyricist and scriptwriter from India. Some of his most successful work was done in the late 1970s and 1980s with Salim Khan as half of the script-writing duo credited as Salim-Javed...
. The Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
said that the "songs and dances are not mere interludes inserted in the action, bringing it to a halt—a Bollywood trademark—but are fully integrated into the plot and marked by expressive, dynamic singing and dancing that infuse a historical drama with energy and immediacy." A review of the tracks suggests that "the music is true to the time period (the British Raj)". Another review said: "A. R. Rahman
A. R. Rahman
Allah Rakha Rahman is an Indian composer, singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and philanthropist. Described as the world's most prominent and prolific film composer by Time, his works are notable for integrating eastern classical music with electronic music sounds, world music genres and...
is again at his prodigious best. His score for Aamir Khan’s period drama Lagaan is a delectable blend of Indian classical music, folk melodies and jazzy snazzy tunes." The reviewer of Screen India said, "Great music, heard after a long time, which elevates your senses. That Rahman's among the best is proved here." The soundtrack was ranked #44 on Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
's "The 100 Greatest World Music Albums of All Time". The soundtrack won 3 National Film Awards
National Film Awards
The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it is administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorate of Film Festivals since 1973.Every year, a national panel...
in three categories. A. R. Rahman
A. R. Rahman
Allah Rakha Rahman is an Indian composer, singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and philanthropist. Described as the world's most prominent and prolific film composer by Time, his works are notable for integrating eastern classical music with electronic music sounds, world music genres and...
won the award for the best music
National Film Award for Best Music Direction
The National Film Award for Best Music Direction are given annually. In years 1994, 1995 and 2010, an award for Best Background Score was instituted by the Jury, which was won by Johnson and by Ilaiyaraaja . Ilaiyaraaja and A. R...
, Udit Narayan
Udit Narayan
-Career:King of melody, Udit Narayan Jha was born on 1 December, 1955 in a village called Bhardaha in the Saptari district , Nepal. His father was Hare Krishna Jha and his mother was Bhuwaneshwari Devi.Narayan studied at P.B...
won the Best Male Playback Singer Award
National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer
The following is a list of winners of the National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer. The singer with the most awards in this category is K. J. Yesudas with seven wins, whereas S. P. Balasubrahmanyam won six times for 4 different languages; Hindi, Kannada, Tamil and Telugu.-Superlatives:...
for "Mitwa" and Javed Akhtar
Javed Akhtar
Javed Akhtar is a poet, lyricist and scriptwriter from India. Some of his most successful work was done in the late 1970s and 1980s with Salim Khan as half of the script-writing duo credited as Salim-Javed...
won the Best Lyrics Award
National Film Award for Best Lyrics
The National Film Award for Best Lyrics winners:Vairamuthu won the award for maximum number of times . Javed Akhtar is the only lyricist to win the award for three consecutive years .-References:...
for "Ghanan Ghanan" and "Radha Kaise Na Jale". Lagaan also became the biggest audio hit of the year by topping the music charts and selling 3.5 million records within a year.
Home media
There were two releases for the DVD. The first, as a 2-DVD set, was released on 27 May 2002 in limited regions. It contained subtitles in Arabic, English, Hebrew, Hindi, Turkish and several European languages. It is available in 16:9 Anamorphic widescreen, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, progressive 24 frame/s, widescreen and NTSC format. It carried an additional fifteen minutes of deleted scenes, filmographies and trailers.The second was released as anniversary edition three-disc DVD box after six years of the theatrical release. This also included Chale Chalo which was a documentary on the making of Lagaan, a curtain raiser on the making of the soundtrack, deleted scenes, trailers, along with other collectibles. After its release, it became the highest selling DVD in India beating Sholay
Sholay
Sholay is a 1975 Indian action-adventure film produced by G.P. Sippy and directed by his son Ramesh Sippy. It is considered among the greatest films in the history of Indian cinema. Released on 15 August 1975, it stars Dharmendra, Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini, Sanjeev Kumar, Jaya Bhaduri and...
(1975).
Merchandise
In the anniversary DVD edition, a National Film Award-winning documentary, Chale Chalo - the lunacy of film making, 11 collector cards, a collectible Lagaan coin embossed with the character of Bhuvan, a 35 mm cinemascopeCinemaScope
CinemaScope was an anamorphic lens series used for shooting wide screen movies from 1953 to 1967. Its creation in 1953, by the president of 20th Century-Fox, marked the beginning of the modern anamorphic format in both principal photography and movie projection.The anamorphic lenses theoretically...
filmstrip hand-cut from the film's filmstrip were bundled with the film.
A comic book, Lagaan: The Story, along with two coloring books, a mask book and a cricket board game
Board game
A board game is a game which involves counters or pieces being moved on a pre-marked surface or "board", according to a set of rules. Games may be based on pure strategy, chance or a mixture of the two, and usually have a goal which a player aims to achieve...
were subsequently released to the commercial market. The comic book, available in English and Hindi, was targeted for children between the ages of six and 14. At the book's launch, Aamir Khan said that they were keen to turn the film into a comic strip during the pre-production phase itself.
The cricket bat that Bhuvan used to score the winning runs
Run (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a run is the basic unit of scoring. Runs are scored by a batsman, and the aggregate of the scores of a team's batsmen constitutes the team's score. A batsman scoring 50 or 100 runs , or any higher multiple of 50 runs, is considered a particular achievement...
in the film was auctioned for 6 million Pakistani rupee
Pakistani rupee
The rupee is the currency of Pakistan. The issuance of the currency is controlled by the State Bank of Pakistan, the central bank of the country. The most commonly used symbol for the rupee is Rs, used on receipts when purchasing goods and services. In Pakistan, the rupee is referred to as the...
s as a fund raiser for a cancer hospital in Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
In March 2002, a book titled The Spirit of Lagaan - The Extraordinary Story of the Creators of a Classic was published. It covers the making of the film, describing in detail about the setbacks and obstacles that the crew faced while developing the film from concept to its release.
External links
- Lagaan at Bollywood HungamaBollywood HungamaBollywood Hungama is a leading Bollywood entertainment website, owned by hungama.com....