Review of Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001) by Chris C — 22 May 2013
Roger Ebert once wrote that "no good movie is too long and no bad movie is short enough". At 3hrs and 45mins, Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India is the second longest film I have ever seen--but not once did I feel it was too long.
It tells the fictional story of a group of Indian villagers being challenged to a high-stake cricket match by their British colonizers. If the villagers win, they won't have to pay their annual land tax for 3 years.
If they lose, the tax will be increased three-fold. The cricket match is so well directed that people who don't know anything about the sport will leave understanding the game. Yes, it is a Bollywood film and there are songs, and some people don't like this.
But the songs are great, and the film should not be dismissed for such a banal reason. If you were to choose to watch only one Bollywood film in your lifetime, it might as well be this one.
This review of Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001) was written by Chris C on 22 May 2013.
Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India has generally received very positive reviews.
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