ManiakJiggy This is How Movies Should Be Made

KnotStronger This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

Tayloriona Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Kien Navarro Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

classicsoncall Aamir Khan not only stars in this Hindi film, but sings, dances and even plays the flute at one point, one of the most versatile actors you'll find anywhere. Along side the central cricket match in the story, the movie offers a colorful display of festive song and dance, a hallmark it seems of many films emanating from India. For this American viewer, the sport of cricket is somewhat off beat and try as I might, I couldn't follow the concept of runs and wickets scored. To a degree it resembles baseball, but the way batters and bowlers (pitchers) come and go was quite confusing. I did like the Indian name for their version of cricket though. it was called gilli-danda; if given a choice, I think I'd rather play gilli-danda. The only thing is with these Hindi films, most of them go quite the distance. This one was almost four hours long and it appeared that there were any number of opportunities to shorten the movie by eliminating elements unnecessary to tell the story. Even the song and dance routines run a five minute minimum, which doesn't sound like a lot, but are quite long when you're watching them. I guess this all plays favorably to an Indian audience, as the foreign reviewers on this board are lavish in their praise. What I thought was most positive for the story was the way Bhuvan (Aamir Khan) used his authority to denounce the caste system in his village of Champaner, calling on the members of his cricket team to accept the 'Untouchable' named Kachra (Aditya Lakhia). I think my favorite character in the movie was the fortune teller Guran (Rajesh Vivek). If you check the picture of him posted on the credits page for this movie, he's clean shaven and bears only the slightest appearance to the wild looking seer that joined up with Bhuvan's team. For this long time fan of another sporting entertainment, he had a remarkable resemblance to pro wrestler Pampero Firpo.

ElMaruecan82 That's funny. I always thought the reason of "Lagaan" continuous presence on IMDb Top 250 was due to its being "a little more than" your typical Bollywood movie, as if the opposite was a disqualifying parameter. I confess, from my slightly prejudiced perspective, I thought "Lagaan" was an empowering sports movie about the triumph of human spirit etc. but again, not the "typical" Hindi movie. But that would have been overlooking the subtitle: which goes straight to the point: Once Upon a Time in India. I guess if you set a story in India, you better tell it the "Indian way".So, the fact is: "Lagaan" IS your "typical" Bollywood movie, but that's not saying much as the director Ashutosh Gowariker finds that little extra push to elevate the film above the expectations of a national audience, thus delivering a story of universal appeal: something about the fight for dignity and justice, an underdog story with the same resonance as "Rocky", and told in an old-fashioned way with a despicable villain and a colorful gallery of challengers that goes from a handsome hero, a brute with a golden heart, a sneaky traitor, a comic relief etc. The film use many familiar elements from both Bolly and Hollywood's canon but the result is so enthralling, so exhilarating that it gets away with it.And take it from someone who's never been a fan of that Bollywood trope requiring that characters can break into singing and dancing in such a so well-choreographed act you wouldn't believe it's one of these spur-of-the-moment things. But the power of "Lagaan" is to know exactly what the audience longs, an emotional roller-coaster that includes singing and all dancing. There's such boldness in making a movie almost four hour longs by adding nothing that clearly advances the plot that even someone who's not familiar with Bollywood will understand that music isn't just an ornament, but as vital to the enjoyment as the rest. The film was long and riveting enough, but "Lagaan" primarily addresses its own audience and with such gusto that it widened its appeal to foreign audiences.But the story had a part to play in that success. Its premise alone is captivating: at the peak of the British Empire in India, an arrogant and racist Captain named Andrew Russel, commanding the province of Champenar, doubled the Lagaan tax to the villagers, who are already taxed to the bone. But with this new measure, they risk starvation and misery. Phillips (well-played by Paul Blackthorne) is no man to care for such considerations. And when the young and rebel villager named Bhuvan (Aamir Khan) goes with a few villagers to ask the local Rajah to intercede, the man with one foot in each world admits he's powerless. Russell spices up the situation, he challenges the villagers to beat them in cricket, a game Bhuvan called stupid, if they win, they won't pay Lagaan for three years, if they lose, they'll have to play triple Lagaan.When Bhuvan accepts, he faces a major uproar from the other villages of the provinces and before winning the game, there's a long process of winning the villagers' spirit and the process is crucial to reveal more about the characters and the setting. Meanwhile, Philips confronts his superiors and understands he'd rather win the game or he might pay the Lagaan from his own pocket. The dice are cast and we follow the training of villagers who never understood cricket, let alone played it. But it's not much in the game than the anticipation, to see these peasant trying to defy the British establishment, it's both funny like "The Full Monty" but many highly dramatic moments remind us that lives are at stakes and it's not just a game. The odds are worse but they've got to beat them.They are trying to win with what they have at hands and turning their flaws into tricks is the kind of inspirational material you expect from sport movie. One of the villagers is swift with slingshots, which earned him an ability to launch a ball so fast you literally don't see it coming, another one with a defect in his hand is able to make the ball spin, his status as a pariah allows a film to make a few comments about the caste system, to make sure there is an equivalent to British' ruthlessness. And to make up for the vileness of Captain his sister Elizabeth (Rachel Shelley), finding her brother's method cruel and unfair help the villagers, much to the displeasure of Gaury (Gracy Singh) in love with Aamir. There are many subplots in the movie and they swiftly overlap just like the many rules of that cricket game that you don't need to understand in order to enjoy the film.Each sub-story is bound to a specific emotion, there's romance, there's drama, comedy and tragedy, and at the climactic game, all these element come full circle together. And no matter how hard you expect the game to be, how many sports movie you've seen, no matter how firmly you anticipate that it will all comes down to one final blow, the film will still manage to surprise you. And that's the power of Lagaan that Ebert summed up very well, you enjoy it, you realize it's new and fresh although it's a very familiar material. You really enjoyed it. It is Bollywood but its appeals transcend the story.It has escapism, fun, colors, it's the kind of film, you can't say they don't make them anymore… well except maybe in Bollywood, the quintessential place for popular cinema. And it is an empowering sports drama about the triumph of human spirit.

Deshpyar Singh 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.

kushal agarwal This is my First Review for a movie. Although I don't have much emotion and time to write a review I think this movie deserved to be known from the eyes of the biggest Fan. The movie is an Epic and I considered it as my top 5 favorite of all time.(The Godfather, The shawshank Redemption, The Dark Knight,Fight Club are other four.) The Movie is underrated because of its limitation to receive global Viewership. It deserved to nominate for Oscar more than most of the movies that have been nominated. The plot is epic and the actors have played there part very well. The music by A.R Rahman and the Lyrics by Javed Akhtar is extra Ordinary. The kind of sentiments we have for cricket, Social discrimination, Love Triangle have been depicted in an fabulous way. The movie captures the heart of India and for me is the best Indian movie ever been made.