25 Years of Lagaan: Ashutosh Gowariker’s Iconic Tribute to Patriotism

By Sharad Rai

25 Years of Lagaan: If we were to call it a unique creation of patriotism on the cinema screen, it would perhaps be the most accurate description. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the release of Lagaan, a film that arrived in 2001, directed by Ashutosh Gowariker. The movie was a masterpiece, with its story, screenplay, and direction entirely crafted by Gowariker himself. Even after 25 years, the film is still fondly remembered, and its impact is felt as Gowariker’s son, Konark Gowariker, celebrates his own lagan (wedding) with his wife, Niyati Kanakia. Despite the director’s many other successful films in between, Lagaan continues to stand out.

Lagaan – Once Upon a Time in India (The film begins…)

In 1893, in a drought-stricken village named Champaner, the farmers are suffering under the harsh rule of the British colonizers. The village is dominated by Captain Andrew Russell (played by Paul Blackthorne), a heartless British officer who supports colonial exploitation. Along with his sister, Elizabeth (Rachel Shelley), he enforces the unfair tax system. The British have doubled the lagaan (tax) on the villagers, driving them to the brink of starvation. Bhuwan (Aamir Khan), a young villager, stands up against this oppressive taxation. He challenges the local king, Raja Sahib (Kulbhushan Kharbanda), who is busy watching a cricket match with the British officers. During the match, an altercation erupts when a British man insults an Indian, and Bhuwan reacts fiercely, comparing cricket to India’s own traditional game, gilli-danda. This sparks a challenge from Captain Russell: if the villagers win a cricket match, their lagaan will be forgiven. But if they lose, the tax will be tripled. Bhuwan accepts the challenge.

Villagers Unite for Cricket Battle in Lagaan’s Iconic Story

The entire film then revolves around the preparations for the cricket match, as the villagers come together to form a team. Initially, the villagers oppose Bhuwan’s challenge. Bhuwan's childhood friend, Gauri (Gracy Singh), is in love with him, while Lakka (Yashpal Sharma) also desires her and thus opposes Bhuwan’s plan. The villagers start practicing with improvised wooden bats and balls. To strengthen their batting skills, they chop wood, and for fielding, they train by catching chickens. Golii (Dayashankar Pandey) practices bowling by running a pawan chakki (a traditional hand-operated grain mill). Eventually, they manage to form a team of ten players.

Bhuwan Defends Kachra as Villagers Prepare for Cricket

One day, during practice, a ball flies into the trash, and Bhuwan notices that Kachra, an untouchable villager, retrieves the ball with skill. Bhuwan is amazed and makes him the eleventh player, even though the rest of the village protests due to Kachra’s caste. Bhuwan explains to them that cricket is about unity. Meanwhile, Elizabeth, disheartened by her brother's cruelty, starts teaching the villagers how to play cricket, which brings her closer to Bhuwan. She also realizes that Gauri loves Bhuwan.

As the match day approaches, the villagers begin to fear the inevitable loss. The team members, including Bhura (Raghubir Yadav), Deva (Pradeep Rawat), Ismail (Raj Zutshi), Shambhu Kaka (A.K. Hangal), Yashoda Mai (Suhasini Mulay), and Guran (Rajesh Vivek), all seem terrified. Over the course of the three-day match, the villagers' team initially struggles, but Bhuwan continues to encourage them. Lakka, who had earlier sabotaged the team, realizes his mistake and is allowed to continue playing. In the end, Bhuwan hits a six on the last ball, winning the match and securing the forgiveness of the lagaan.

At the conclusion of the film, Captain Russell is sent to Africa by the British government, and Bhuwan marries Gauri. Elizabeth, who has fallen in love with Bhuwan, remains unmarried, choosing to live the rest of her life as Bhuwan's Radha in spirit.

Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India Movie Songs:

Lagaan won several Filmfare Awards in 2002, including Best Actor for Aamir Khan, Best Lyrics for Javed Akhtar (for the songs " Radha Kaise Na Jale" and "Ghanan Ghanan" , and Best Playback Singer for Udit Narayan for the song “Mitwa.” The film was also nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards (Oscars). With a score by A.R. Rahman and produced by Aamir Khan and Reena Dutta, Lagaan remains a timeless classic—a film that stands as a tribute to the spirit of resistance and unity in the face of injustice.