Lagaan Cast: Aamir Khan, Gracy Singh, Suhasini Mulay Direction: Ashutosh Gowariker Lagaan (tax), a 2011 Bollywood

movie directed by Ashutosh Gowariker and produced by Amir Khan speaks volumes about the domination of the British over the Indians. It is set against the backdrop of a village Champaner which has faced droughts for two years consecutively. In this context, Bhuvan (Aamir Khan) and the other villagers ask Captain Russell for a tax relief since he doubles the tax inspite of the drought. Captain Russell, in response to the villagers plea says that he would waive the tax if the villagers manage to win a cricket match against the British officers. Although the other villagers are a little apprehensive of this unique proposition put forth by Captain Russell, Bhuvan accepts the challenge. The rest of the movie basically concentrates on the cricket match and how the villagers bond during the course of the preparation of the match and at the time of the match. The movie Lagaan explores the various facets of life in rural India in the pre Independence times. The movie through various instances portrays the numerous problems which the rural population faced during the pre-Independence era under the British rule. Some of the major issues dealt with in the film are those of caste differences, the cultural differences between the Indians and the British, the clashes between the Kings and their subjects, etc. The opening scene of the film shows the usual exchange of words between two residents of the village. Then, various other sequences characteristic of a villages day to day functioning are shown. The song ghanan ghanan giri. is reflective of the hopes and aspirations of the farming class whose entire income depends on the rains. The celebratory manner in which the rains are welcomed by the villagers is pretty endearing to watch but at the same time saddening to see that the glimmer of hope that the clouds showed was only momentary. The lack of rains or the abysmal amount of rains affects the farmers majorly. This has been showcased beautifully in the movie, through the downcast faces of the villagers as soon as they realise that it wasnt going to rain.

The scene in which the King is forced to eat non vegetarian food in exchange for some favour from the British signifies the kind of blackmailing the Indians, including the Kings were subjected to. The Kings determination to oppose the British general is commendable. This also portrays the cultural hegemony of the West over the East. Cricket, in this movie, acts as the force binding all the villagers, irrespective of caste and creed. The match proves to be a winning match for the dwellers of the Champer village thereby earning the tax waiver while the British officers lose the match. What starts off as a match to help waive the tax, turns out to be one where people start realizing feelings and understanding what is right and what is wrong. The match proves to be a value education period for not only the residents of the Champer village but also the British officers. Lagaan by and large is a movie which deals with a lot of socio-economic, political and cultural issues. Cultural politics have been shown in various forms in the movie. Right from the point where Bhuvan is warned about preventing the deer from getting shot, to the King being subtly forced and/or blackmailed to eat non vegetarian food in exchange for a favour and many other instances. Lagaan is replete with instances of cultural politics not just between the British and the Indians, but also between castes among the residents of the Champer village. The sort of cultural politics showcased in Lagaan are relevant to this day since caste issues, East West cultural ideologies clashes, etc take place among various people even now. Overall, the film doesnt necessarily portray reality entirely but manages to show the viewers a slice of history masked in fiction. There are multitude layers underneath each character in the film which makes it more real and in conformity with the various cultures portrayed.