"Lagaan" - Movie Review

On the independence day of India, 15th August 2018 after flag-hoisting at university ground we have planned to watch “Lagaan – once upon a time in India” movie at our department. This movie was released in 2001. It is a sports-drama film, directed by Ashutosh Gowariker, produced by Aamir Khan and Mansoor Khan, written by Gowariker and Abbas Tyrewala. The setting of movie is British India. Patriotism is in the core of movie. The film has some hidden messages also. Here I’m interpreting film as per my understanding.

1) Patriotism

The main theme of this movie is patriotism. The setting is India under British rule, so the passion for “our land” will be there. In this movie farmers have to pay yearly lagaan (tax) to the king and king to the British rule, but from last two years they are suffering from draught and the arrogant British captain Russell has doubled the tax because king has denied to eat meat. After that captain Russell challenged the people of village to beat them in cricket match and three years tax will be erased. Now they all are doing hard work to beat British team. This shows their passion for their land and their rights. Ram Singh, Lakha, and Arjan who are working for British people they also left their work and shows their passion for freedom from tax.

2) Love Triangle

At very shallow level if we look this film is also same like other Bollywood film which has love theme as importantly as other main theme. Here in this film also Gauri who is living in village who loves Bhuvan. Both are living in same village. Bhuvan also loves Gauri. One other person  who also lives in same village Lakha loves Gauri. Elizabeth, sister of Russell also fall in love with Bhuvan. So we can find heartbroken Elizabeth and jealous Lakha.

3) Religion

Religion is also in the center of the movie. The temple of Lord Krishna is situated at height, which signifies their faith and place of religion. Before starting any work they pray to god for their victory. The king also staunchly believes in religion and because of that he denies to eat meat to captain Russell. Villagers are suffering from draught for last two years then they believe that if they will pray to god, god will send rain. When Bhuvan accepts the challenge of cricket match no villager was ready to play but when first time Bhuvan hits the ball and ball hits the bell of temple than they found this as omen. In between the movie whenever they find themselves in difficult situation they all gather and pray to god. By doing all these things film maker wants to show the power of religion and prayer.

4) Archetypes

This movie is same like other movies also follows some archetypes. The first archetype is “Draught”. When movie starts, the scene of draught comes which signifies sorrow and hopelessness in life of villagers.

Then “Temple” is another archetype in this movie. Temple is symbol of goodness, positivity, hope and happiness. Which we can see in movie that whenever villagers are in temple they are happy or they have hope of something positive and good.

Third is “Rain”. Rain is symbol of happiness. In this movie also when villagers see the dark clouds they start celebrating. At the end also when they won the match rain comes and again everyone are happy.

Then “Hero” or “Central character” is also an archetype here. As Hero will be savior same happens here. Bhuvan is central character in this movie, so he saved all villagers from three years tax, at last moment he also make team won the match. He is the one who is first to solve every problem.

5) Leadership

Bhuvan has got great leadership qualities. He is the first one to accept the challenge when other people are seeing this as harmful he is seeing this challenge as an opportunity. At beginning no one is with him but he knows how to built the team. He also knows everyone’s ability and he use that abilities effectively. Only building team will not going to help he also make all team members work together and for whole team and not for an individual. When it comes to team he don’t think about other things he include untouchable in his team when other members are denying to play with untouchable, and he also make them all to understand. He takes action when it is necessary, he hit six at the last ball of the match and make his team win the match. These all are great leadership qualities which Bhuvan describes.

6) Difference between Elizabeth and Gauri

Both are women but vast difference in both of them. Gauri is living in village while Elizabeth comes from the England. Both loves Bhuvan but as soon as Elizabeth comes to know that Bhuvan loves Gauri she sacrifice her love for Gauri. They both are different fro each other in thinking. Gauri is very submissive girl, she follows the order of her father. While Elizabeth is free woman. She is doing what she think is right and she didn’t live under the order of her brother. Gauri is only busy in cooking while Elizabeth has great knowledge of cricket and she also knows how to play it.

7) Difference between Lakha and Elizabeth

Lakha and Elizabeth both has cheated their owns but both have very vast difference of intentions. Lakha is cheated his fellow villagers only because he can’t get love of Gauri and Gauri loves Bhuvan so he wants to take revenge from Bhuvan. Because of his this revenge motive he put all villagers lives at stake. On the other hand Elizabeth goes against her brother’s wish and teach villagers how to play cricket because she feels that her brother has done unfair to the villager and that is why she wants to help villagers. Intensions of both make their character likable or dislikable.

8) Subalterns

Here we can apply subaltern theory and we also can find hierarchy here. In this movie India is under control of British rule so first subaltern is India, and at first place come king. Here king is also under the control of British rule and he can’t do anything against them. Then under the king comes villagers. They are helpless front of king, they have to obey the decision of king. Then comes the women of village, as they are controlled by male. They live life like do what is said to do. At last comes untouchables. They meant to live away from all other villagers. In this movie we have one character named Kachara, who is untouchable. He is so afraid of other people he constantly under fear of not touching anyone and not to make any mistake.

9) Post-colonialism

The only thing represents post-colonialism in this movie is game of cricket. We accepts to play cricket because we want freedom from tax but now in free India why this game is more famous than any other game. It clearly shows that how still British people ruling our mind. This is the reason why cricket is more played and watched than our national game.

10) Metaphor of “King” is broken

When we call someone “king” we mean almighty. All powers are in the hand of king but in this movie king is shows as handicapped. He is not able to rescue his people fro double tax. When cricket match is going on he is very happy with the performance of villager’s team he want to give his pearl necklace to villagers but he is not able to as he is under British rule. For king his people is everything. To solve their problem should be the first priority of king but when villagers came to meet king to urge for removing the tax but the cricket match of British people are going on so he has to make wait villagers till the game ends. So in this movie king only has name of king.

11) British respects talent

We can see the fairness in decision of British people. Though captain Russell put very unfair challenge front of villagers but he called very honest umpire to take decisions of match. When both team are playing the match, the British people admires both team’s talent. They are in favor of talent not only their team. When at last ball Bhuvan hit the six all British officers stand up and clap for him which clearly shows their respect and admiration for talent.

These are some points which I found in movie. To see all these things one has to read the meaning between the lines. Otherwise this film has ability to catch audience just by it’s shallow look and it has done this also as this film has got attention of  mass in India and overseas also.

Thank you.