Rating: 
Summary: The Best Movie of All Time
Review: This is the best movie that you will ever see! If you are looking for an all around good entertainer this is what you are looking for. The director of this movie, Aushutosh Gowarikar has done a great job. The main stars of this movie are, GRACY SINGH, Aamir Khan, and Rachelle Shelly. This movie takes place in 1893, Champaner India. It is about the British Raj in India, and some of their cheating ways, and how a small community gets together to overcome these hardships. Also weaved into this story is a love triange, including GRACY SINGH(GAURI), Aamir Khan(Bhuvan), and Rachelle Shelly(Elizabeth). It is interesting to see how these people try to get through their relationship problems, sometimes allowing for a funny scene, and sometimes for a tear-jerking scene. The music in this film (this is a musical) is excellent. Such songs such as Rakha Kaise Naa Jale evoke so many emotions through their meaningful lyrics. In this particular song, the story of the Hindu God Krishna and his consort Radha is expressed. The story of Radha and Krishna is that Krishna would dance and spend his time with many gopis (girls) in the garden insteak of only with Radha. Infact the title translates to how can Radha not be jealous. The music is expressed beautifully through the immortal voices of those including Alka Yagnik and Udit Narayan. The beautifully choreographed dances also accentuate the music and moods of the characters. The movie is best summed up in the words of Aamir Khan himself, when he said in a recent interview (something along the lines of) This is a movie about the human spirit.
Rating: 
Summary: Bollywood at its best
Review: Commercial Bollywood films don't get any better than this.
The DVD is good quality but could be better. Suffers from
low bit rate due to film's length and only 2 layers.
Superbit version required on 4 layers.
Rating:
Summary: Well-produced and acted but...
Review: In 'Lagaan,' a village is forced to pay double the Lagaan (tax) of the previous year; the villagers approach their puppet king Raja Puran Singh to be lenient to them as the monsoons have not come yet. British Captain Andrew Russell who pulls the rajah's strings says that he will cancel the land tax for the next three years if they (the villagers) beat the British in a game of cricket. Bhuvan (Aamir Khan), someone the captain dislikes intensely, is asked to make the choice for the people; Bhuvan of course chooses to play the British. The rest of the movie deals with the ramifications of that choice, with the villagers trying to learn the game of cricket (with a little help from a nice English lady) and -- of course -- the final showdown. I wouldn't expect this movie to win any Oscars (even though it is an entry), but 'Lagaan -- Once upon a time in India' is a fun movie. That is if you can sit through nearly four hours of it (not entirely unusual in Indian film-making). If you can, you will see that Lagaan has a fairly predictable plotline, but that it also has plenty of unpredictable and funny moments along the way. Great songs by A.R. Rahman add to the 'Bollywood' feel of the movie. The only issue that I have with this movie is that the English gentlemen and lady seem like cardboard cutouts when compared to the ragtag Indian team's cast of colorful characters. However, this is a well-produced and acted movie; it is also a great introduction to and contribution from India's Bollywood. -- MovieSwami.com
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable Entertaining and Good History Too
Review: The cover looks sappy and this movie may at first seem a deceptively simple treatment of some history that remains politically charged but as you watch you realize that the film not only has a heart but a spine as well.
The colonial officer of the cantonment which rules over the neighboring villages and collects tax from them in the form of grain(Lagaan)is an example of the very worst type of Englishman. The Indian director makes use of similar stereotypes to depict the various Indian characters who are seen as pure and earthy and prone to break into dance and song spontaneously. It sounds a bit ridiculous and it is a bit but its also really good. Even the musical numbers (once you get used to the idea) are really enjoyable blends of Indian traditional dance and story telling with modern moves and grooves thrown in for good entertainment value(and also to show that the struggle for Indian identity is an ongoing one). What unites the various factions of Indians is that they have a common enemy, the English. Together, says their young leader, they can come together and make a fist and defeat the English despot. But the war is not played with guns and cannon rather it is played with ball and wickets and cricket bat. The Englishman in a display of self-aggrandizement and arrogance has mockingly challenged the Indians to beat them. If they win the tax will be suspended for three years, if they lose triple tax. Knowing the rules of cricket will help, but if you don't the game which lasts three days is very enjoyable as the Indian characters representing the various castes and divisions in Indian life each take on very distinct character traits making them each distinct individuals. For the greater good of all they have put their differences aside and joined together but it is those differences that make you like each one separately as well. The English are for the most part the English, some just a little worse than others, but there is at least one exception, the cantonment masters sister, she also sings a bit. Very enjoyable and effective treatment of the colonial situation. You will be rooting for the Indians even if you are one of those dreadful English, its impossible not to, because, of course, the Indians are right, its their country.
Rating:
Summary: Don't miss it under any circumstances
Review: This was an utterly delightful surprise. I've watched Hindi films over the years for mainly camp value. What a surprise then when I was utterly bowled over by this movie. Total emotional involvement. I was on the edge of my seat with suspense during the cricket match. And in tears by the end. I haven't enjoyed a film so much in years.
Rating:
Summary: Bollywood done right!
Review: Okay, first of all the title - Lagaan in Hindi for Tax. That out of the way let's get to the story: Here's a first - an Indian movie which is historically correct and not ultra-jingoistic either. So basically this movie is about one village's fight against its imperialist masters - it'll appeal to all those Left-wingers our there. At the same time, it gives the outsider a very good picture of British Rule over India. The movie is 90% in Hindi(with English subtitles), and 10% in English, and this adds to the effect - how odd it is for such different cultures rubbing up against each other. Above all this story is about hope and courage - In order to maintain their hold over India, the British would play one Indian king against another, and in exchange they would demand taxes. These taxes would be squeezed out of the poor villagers/peasants in the Kingdoms of the weak Indian kings. The British, having an empire to maintain, were pretty harsh. This is the story of how one village fought the British, but in a novel way - no guns and violence - but a Cricket Match. Most Americans are probably unaware, but the English hold Cricket in very high regard and as the embodiment of fairness and sportsmanship. The British have a phrase - "That's not cricket" i.e. that's not fair, or proper. With this background, one can see that Indian villagers fighting British Officers in Cricket Match is a possible, even plausible event. Be warned though, this is your conventional Bollywood movie, and that means that it's 3 and half hours long, and there are many songs. But the benefit of DVDs is you can always skip to the next (post-song) chapter. Very well made, and decent performances all around. Bollywood gets it right for once!
Rating:
Summary: The Greatest and BEST Indian Movie Ever!
Review: I've seen many movies over the course of my life. These include Hollywood AND Bollywood films among the crop of other foreign films. But NEVER have I seen a film such as LAGAAN. Everything about this film, from start to finish is just perfect, awesome, amazing, flawless. Not once did I flinch my eye during this film. I saw it 7 times at the Theater. And I have NEVER seen ANY other film more than once at a movie theater (With the exception of Lord of the Rings, Ocean's Eleven and Dil Chahta Hai).
To sum it all up, this is the BEST movie I have seen in my entire life!
Rating:
Summary: Best movie to come out of Bollywood yet !
Review: It is very rare that I feel proud about a movie from Bollywood. This is one of those movies. The feeling you get after watching this movie is simply great !
If you are used to watch regular Hindi movies, you are in for a big (and pleasant) surprise! It defies all the formulae of a typical hindi movie and sets a new standard. It is a world class product showcasing core indian values. Bollywood should be thankful to the 'LAGAAN' team for showing them a new horizon.
It scores big in all departments of filmmaking. Ashutosh Gowarikar and Aamir Khan deserve all the praise they are getting for visualising and producing such a project. A R Rahman delivers one of the best musical scores of his career.
You HAVE to see this movie in a theater. You have to see it with your friends and family and be a part of this wonderful experience. Well, if you can't, next best thing is this DVD.
Rating:
Summary: A Masterpiece
Review: To all those who living in India, those who are NRI's, and even those like myself the classic ABCD's I can sum this movie in two words:"DAMN GOOD"
Rating:
Summary: A Must See!
Review: I am a diehard Amir Khan fan and to have a combination of Amir Khan and cricket is just layers of icing on my cake. After seeing "Rangeela" and "Ghulam", where I had to "put up" with all the other jazz that sells bollywood products, just to feast my eyes on Amir, "Lagaan" was a breath of fresh air with delightful songs and excellent performance by everyone. Of course, right after "Lagaan" I had to see "Dil Chahtaa Hai" and highly recommend that as well.
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