Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001)

VHS CASE/SIDE

Length of film:  224 Minutes

Rated: PG    

Genre: Drama, Musical, Sport

Director: Ashutosh Gowariker

Starring: Aamir Khan, Raghubir Yadav, Gracy Singh, Rachel Shelley, Paul Blackthorne, Suhasini Mulay, Kulbhushan Kharbanda

IMDB Rank: 8.1/10

Part 1 Time:  101 Minutes 

Part 2 Time:  123 Minutes

Where does the first part end? Captain Andrew Russell (Paul Blackstone) argues with Elizabeth Russell (Rachel Shelly).

Final line of dialogue on the first part: “Bloody farmers,” states Captain Andrew Russell as he looks down at the town of Champaner.

First line of dialogue on the second part: “Goli, you throw the ball with a lot of passion,” Bhuvan (Aamir Khan) speaks to his teammates.

How jarring is it when the first part ends? Minimal, Captain Andrew Russell is frustrated with Elizabeth Russell as she continues to help Bhuvan and his teammates, by teaching them the rules of cricket. Will Elizabeth’s help prepare Bhuvan’s team enough to beat the British officers?

Which part is better? It is a cricket match for the ages, as the local villagers participate in a test cricket match against British officers. If the locals win the cricket match they will not pay taxes for three years. If the British officers win they will impose high taxes (lagaan) on all the villagers in the State of Gujarat. Part two is far superior as the villagers take on the British officers in test cricket (which takes place over the course of multiple days). The game is full of twists and turns and keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Academy Awards:  2002; Best Foreign Language Film (Nominated)

Other Awards: 2002 Filmfare Awards; Best Director, Best Actor (Aamir Khan), Best Music Director, Best Lyricist, Best Playback Singer Male (Udit Narayan), Best Playback Singer Female (Alka Yagnik), Best Story, Best Film