07-10-2022, 10:45 PM
On Friday I was a guest on a podcast called Cinematic Underdogs, and they have this thing where they ask guests to name their top 3 sports films. I named this as #2 in a flailing attempt to be hip. But afterwards, I realized I had not seen it in years and have no idea if it held up. It’s been in my queue forever because I’ve been meaning to get back to it. But it’s almost 4 hours long.
Lagaan means ‘tax’ and this is about a drought stricken village when threatened with a double tax from the imperialist Brits, bet it on a cricket match. If the Brits win, 3x tax. If the Indians win, no tax for 3 years. Amir Khan is the lead and one of my fav actors. A.R. Rahman did the soundtrack. It was the most expensive Indian film at the time and got a nom at the Oscar’s.
Sadly it didn’t hold up. Bollywood has come so much farther in the last 2 decades. This really needed that 2x speed button but I guess that doesn’t work for all netflixers. It checks off all those sport film boxes. Misfit team with eccentricities that are advantageous to the game - check. Team traitor - check. Good team gets injured while playing - check. Villain team injures them intentionally - check. False losses near the climax - check.
What it does well is the traditional music and dances. It’s not as polished choreo as we’re used to now, nor is it spectacular on a grand scale for that huge budget. But the music and dancing feels authentic and traditional even if the lip synching is poor. The architecture of the castle fort is impressive but most of it plays out in barren fields. The villagers wear modest clothes, not lavish costumes. The Brits wear military uniforms or cricket outfits. There’s a dated earnestness about it all.
But it’s a story that could been told in half the time, and it only has a little gratuitous slo-mo.
I believe cf has seen this. It’s mentioned here in 9 posts before this.
I have a better understanding of cricket having watched it.
Not D00M recommended.
Lagaan means ‘tax’ and this is about a drought stricken village when threatened with a double tax from the imperialist Brits, bet it on a cricket match. If the Brits win, 3x tax. If the Indians win, no tax for 3 years. Amir Khan is the lead and one of my fav actors. A.R. Rahman did the soundtrack. It was the most expensive Indian film at the time and got a nom at the Oscar’s.
Sadly it didn’t hold up. Bollywood has come so much farther in the last 2 decades. This really needed that 2x speed button but I guess that doesn’t work for all netflixers. It checks off all those sport film boxes. Misfit team with eccentricities that are advantageous to the game - check. Team traitor - check. Good team gets injured while playing - check. Villain team injures them intentionally - check. False losses near the climax - check.
What it does well is the traditional music and dances. It’s not as polished choreo as we’re used to now, nor is it spectacular on a grand scale for that huge budget. But the music and dancing feels authentic and traditional even if the lip synching is poor. The architecture of the castle fort is impressive but most of it plays out in barren fields. The villagers wear modest clothes, not lavish costumes. The Brits wear military uniforms or cricket outfits. There’s a dated earnestness about it all.
But it’s a story that could been told in half the time, and it only has a little gratuitous slo-mo.
I believe cf has seen this. It’s mentioned here in 9 posts before this.
I have a better understanding of cricket having watched it.
Not D00M recommended.
Shadow boxing the apocalypse