Review of Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001) by Mohamed H — 25 Feb 2017

Lagaan is a great example of a fun, sincere and charming sports film with strong themes of nationalism and inclusion.

The film is about a handsome, brave, skilled, progressive Indian peasant living under British rule that has to gather together and teach a rag tag group of diverse Indians to beat the British in a cricket match that will save them from a devastating tax hike. Oh and all the ladies love him.

Does this sound cheesy and cliche? Well it surprisingly works. The film has a sincerity that is rare in Hollywood these days but still seems to be alive and well in Bollywood.

The biggest strength of Lagaan is the collection of religiously diverse characters coming together. They all have their strengths and quirks and each get a moment to shine (though poor Ismail gets the short end of that wicket). Again, the cheesiness of these moments is covered up by the earnestness of the performances. You'll love this team.

Overall, this film was tons of fun and everything has a payoff so it wraps up nicely. Which is another thing that is missing from much of Hollywood.