Time flies. It is 25 years of ‘Lagaan,’ the iconic Aamir Khan’s film that was India’s entry for the Oscars. Though the film did not make it there but has left a lasting impression on the people back home. The film is a feel good factor for millions of cricket lovers who saw a disheveled Indian village team cobbled together by the protagonist Bhuvan (played by Aamir Khan) takes on well groomed cricket team of British officers in a fictitious town of champaran. The Indian team, predictably though beats the british team and wins the bet of forgoing lagan or (revenue) for three years. Had they lost they would have give to give three times the stipulated lagan.
The film though fiction struck the cord with the masses and was super hit, its song became chart toppers and its director and writer Ashutosh Gowarekar an instant hit. The best part of the film was that it touches upon various facets of Indian life — caste system, innate nature to turn to Gods above for help and resilience of Indian people all woven aesthetically into the film. The director producer though did not castigate the whole British people as normally is the practice. Rose the sister of the British officer who happens to be the captain of the team helps Bhuvan learn the nifty gritty of the game. And moreover the umpires are neutral they do their job in a non partisan manner. Overall the film is not realistic and rather oversimplification of British Raj yet it is a great movie to watch. It is a feel good factor and that is where its appeal lies. As always we Indians love happy endings. Don’t we?
Lagaan at 25
Lagaan, released on June 15, 2001, is a landmark film in Indian cinema, marking 25 glorious years since it first bowled over audiences worldwide. Directed by Ashutosh Gowariker and produced by Aamir Khan, who also played the lead role. The screenplay took over five years to write, and the movie was shot extensively in Bhuj, Gujarat, with the cast and crew facing real-life hardships including an earthquake during production. The film ran for 223 minutes, one of the longest mainstream Indian films at the time, and broke several conventions by combining sport, drama, patriotism, and a powerful human story. With AR Rahman composing a timeless soundtrack and Javed Akhtar penning evocative lyrics, songs like Ghanan Ghanan, Mitwa and O Rey Chhori.