Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2002)

This movie is amazing. Although the movie is long with many songs in it, it is worth watching. I just hope Bollywood would keep making these kind of movies. Aamir Khan movies are always awesome and inspiring. I rented this movie DVD and watched it with my brother. We both liked this movie. Movie gave me goose bumps at some parts. All the characters did their part very well. Totally recommended to everyone.Hoping this helps. Thank you.

In the small town of Champaner (in the state of Gujarat, 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 that they are 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 bound by British law.After their visit to the Raja, the villagers witness a cricket match. Bhuvan mocks the game and gets into an argument 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 their normal taxes. Bhuvan accepts this wager on behalf of the villages in the province, without their consent. When the other villagers learn about the bet, they are furious with Bhuvan. He argues that it is important for everyone to fight against British rule.Bhuvan 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 villagers. 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 in love with Gauri.In an attempt to discredit Bhuvan, Lakha offers himself as a spy for Russell and joins the villagers' team to destroy it. Eventually the villagers realise that winning equals freedom. As a few of them are insulted by the British, they join the team. Short one player, Bhuvan invites an untouchable, Kachra (Aditya Lakhia), who can bowl spinners. The villagers, conditioned by long-term prejudice against Dalits, refuse to play if Kachra joins the team. Bhuvan chastises the villagers, shaming them into accepting Kachra.

This work of art is a film of childhood memory. Loved the great amount of emotional depth portrayed by Aamir Khan in the way it was required. The bar was set high and he achieved it through working all of the other characters into his as if he knew them for years. The cinematography when Paul Blackthorne catches the ball to the slow pan downwards really captured the hearts of the audience. These scenes are memorable forever for the ones who went through these harsh times in India. This film's cast from the baby face of the protagonist and the fierce look in the eyes of Paul Blackthorne. Great movie! Must see film if you're an Indian. Drama packed action with some romantic love reminiscing behind the tragedy.

The year is 1893 in a small village in the heart of India. A British Cantonment bordered the village. They protect the local Raja from neighboring Rajas as well as the other Rajas. So they are able to demand Lagaan (tax) from the hard-upon local villagers. There is a drought but the cruel arrogant Captain Andrew Russell (Paul Blackthorne) doesn't care and doubles the Lagaan. Local villager Bhuvan (Aamir Khan) rallies the villagers to appeal to the Raja. There they witness their first game of cricket played by the British. Russell offers to forgive the Lagaan for the entire province for the next three years if Bhuvan can lead a team to beat the British. If the villagers lose, he will triple the Lagaan. Few villagers believe in the gamble except for Gauri (Gracy Singh) who loves Bhuvan. The captain's sister Elizabeth (Rachel Shelley) comes to teach the hopeless villagers how to play the foreigner's game.Indian movies are not usually my thing but this one works very well. I'm still not a big fan of the Bollywood song and dance. However the story works here. The Captain is a bit of a cartoon who needs to be a better villain. The love story is good but the love triangle needs to hold off its resolution. The game is pretty much a Bad News Bear situation where all the disparate players join together. The game is interesting. They made it compelling and almost understandable.