Producer: Aamir Khan 
Director: Ashutosh Gowarikar 
Music: A.R. Rahman 
Cast: Aamir Khan, Gracy Singh, Raghuvir Yadav

Lagaan, a story of a battle without bloodshed. This was how producer Aamir Khan described his first film in an interview to a channel. So, what is Aamir armed with to win a battle at the box office? What was it that he had under his sleeves since the last two years, when he announced this film?

Well to begin with Aamir has got a unique story (What if it has been adopted from Escape To Victory and part from Naya Daur-1957, it needed almost a total re-work). The story of a village being put to ransom by a British officer. Thus he sets the story in a time wrapped package taking us to a period in 1893 in a fictitious village in central India called Champaner. Lagaan is the story of unusual circumstances thrust upon ordinary people. A tale of grit and determination to fight against the injustice and oppression (here comes to fore the Amar Singh Rathod of Sarfarosh!). it tells the story of a village where it has not rained since a year.

Since the villagers depend on the rain for their crops, they are unable to pay the ruler their annual lagaan (tax). But they are even more shocked when dugna lagaan (two taxes) are levied on them.

Bhuvan (Aamir Khan) is a young farmer who takes up the challenge of saving his village by accepting an offer (Cricket, which is India’s passion, here comes Sanjay of Jo Jeta Wohi Sikandar along with Sidhu of Ghulam a town bum turned sportsman!), which forms the crux of the story. He is helped by Elizabeth (Rachel Shelley), Captain Russell’s sister. She is in love with Bhuvan (here is Raj, the innocent lover of Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak) and goes all out to help the villagers, despite her brother’s opposition. Gauri (Gracie Singh) is a perky village damsel who loves Bhuvan (this should remind one of Vijayantimala of Naya Daur and Gunga Jamuna) and believes in him. Bhuvan (so this is the character who is a mix of Raj, Amar Singh and Sanjay, he speaks like Gunga of Gunga Jumana and seems to walk straight out of Naya Daur with this challenge) takes on the impossible challenge of defeating the British in a game of cricket, which is Captain Russell's alternative to the villagers paying tax. The deal is that if the villagers defeat the British, they will be pardoned lagaan for three consecutive years, but if they lose, they have to pay up three times the lagaan during the same year (similar to the challenge put by Jeevan in Naya Daur to the tongawalas). Assisted by his villagers, Bhuvan forms a team of eleven with hopes and dreams to win this cricket game, which is a do-or-die situation.

Lagaan is Aamir’s 25-crore dream, which took two years to complete. Refusing to stick to commercial norms, Aamir has taken the risk of making a story which is pretty unusual in today’s times (With so much rework, it sure is!). However, the film has some definite plus points like A R Rahman’s music, which has taken the country by storm. Other aspects worth applauding are Nitin Desai’s art direction, Bhanu Athaiya’s detailed period costumes, Javed Akhtar’s wonderful lyrics and Saroj Khan’s superb choreography (Radha kaise na jale). Technically, director Ashutosh Gowariker has taken great care to elicit first-rate inputs from the crew.

Of the cast, Aamir Khan as Bhuvan is very convincing. He is earnest in his portrayal, and this is the lifeline of the film. Gracie Singh is the surprise packet. Bubbly and charming, she has terrific screen presence, dances like a dream and is tailormade to play Gauri. The rest of the cast, including the British actors and their Indian counterparts (Raghuveer Yadav, Aditya Lakhia, Rajesh Vivek, Amin Hajee, Yashpal Sharma) have all put in their best.

Whatever it be, adoption or none, everything put together Lagaan makes for a fantastic movie to watch. The honesty with which Aamir and his team has laboured over this movie shows in each and every frame. Adoptions are an easy job, but the limitations of adopting from the mother source and reworking on the unique idea is more painstaking and the pain and the sweat is visible in the fine realistic finish that the ultimate product has been given.

That the movie is extra long (three hours 40 minutes) should in no way be an excuse to write it off. Which epic has ever been completed in a lesser period? (Benhur, Gone With The Wind or for that matter Sholay). The only drawback the this film has is that at places the pace of the film slows down. Though the climax of the film is an expected one, yet it has recreated that nerve wrecking effect, to give you that unique experience that is associated with the game of cricket and this is where the film is sure to touch the heart of the viewers. And, that is what matters.