Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India

This well-done Bollywood flick (produced in India) is an engaging epic involving a small Indian village who challenge the English aristocrats in a game of cricket in exchange for being excused from paying the ridiculous tax. However, if they lose, they have to pay double tax. The village doesn't think they can do it, but one man (Aamir Kahn) thinks they have a shot. I am not much of a connoisseur on Indian films (and watching this didn't turn me into one), but this movie reminds me of the old epic films Hollywood used to churn out in the 50's and 60's (ala Ben Hur and Spartacus). Could it be that Bollywood (whose productions, as it is said, are effortlessly produced) are catching up with Hollywood? I hope so. Urgggh… and this is a musical. The songs sound entirely unusual (and revolting perhaps) to the western-ear, because they used a different set of tonality in eastern music. (For example, a piano is not able to play their kind of music.) Nevertheless, this exotic film could be a real treat to the right kind of moviegoer.

Movie reviewed by Michael Lawrence

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Starring:

Aamir Khan, Gracy Singh, Rachel Shelley, Paul Blackthorne, Suhasini Mulay, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Raghuvir Yadav, Ragendra Gupta, Rajesh Vivek, Shri Vallavh Vyas, Javed Khan, Raj Zutshi

Directed by:

Ashutosh Gowariker

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2001 drama/sports

Rated PG

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Don Ignacio's score: B+

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