Lagaan Movie Details:
| Original title | Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India |
| Country | India |
| Languages | Hindi English |
| Genre | Musical, Sports, Drama |
| Release date | June 15, 2001 |
| Running time | 3hr 44min |
| Certificate | U |
| Starring | Aamir Khan Gracy Singh Rachel Shelley Paul Blackthorne |
| Directed by | Ashutosh Gowariker |
| Written by | Story: Ashutosh Gowariker Dialogue: K. P. Saxena (Hindi) Ashutosh Gowariker (English) |
| Narrated by | Amitabh Bachchan |
| Produced by | Aamir Khan Sanjay Dayma |
| Cinematography by | Anil Mehta |
| Edited by | Ballu Saluja |
| Music by | A. R. Rahman |
| Production Company | Aamir Khan Productions |
| Distributor | SET Pictures |
Lagaan Movie Cast & Characters:
- Aamir Khan as Bhuvan (captain and all-rounder)
- Gracy Singh as Gauri
- Rachel Shelley as Elizabeth Russell
- Paul Blackthorne as Captain Andrew Russell
- Suhasini Mulay as Yashoda Maa, Bhuvan’s mother
- Kulbhushan Kharbanda as Raja Puran Singh Chawla
- Rajendra Gupta as Mukhiya Ji, the village chieftain
- Raghubir Yadav as Bhura (fielder)
- Rajesh Vivek as Guran (all-rounder)
- Raj Zutshi as Ismail (batsman)
- Pradeep Rawat as Deva Singh Sodhi (all-rounder)
- Akhilendra Mishra as Arjan (batsman), the blacksmith
- Daya Shankar Pandey as Goli (seamer), the man with the largest piece of land
- Shrivallabh Vyas as Ishwar (wicket-keeper), the vaidya (doctor) in the village and Gauri’s father
- Yashpal Sharma as Lakha (batsman), the woodcutter
- Amin Hajee as Bagha (batsman), the mute drummer
- Aditya Lakhia as Kachra (spinner)
- Javed Khan as Ram Singh, an Indian who works with the British and helps Elizabeth in translating villager’s language
- A. K. Hangal as Shambu Kaka
- Amin Gazi as Tipu
- John Rowe as Colonel Boyer
- David Gant as Major Warren
- Thor Halland as Captain Roberts
- Jeremy Child as Major Cotton
Storyline:
Set in 1893 during the late Victorian period of British colonial rule in India, the film follows a village in Central India burdened by high taxes and drought. An arrogant British Indian Army officer challenges them to a game of cricket to avoid paying taxes. The villagers must learn this unfamiliar game and play for victory.
Lagaan Movie Budget & Box Office Collection:
| Budget | ₹25 crore (US$5.3 million) |
| Domestic Collection | ₹55.13 crore |
| International Collection | ₹10.84 crore (US$2.2 million) |
| Worldwide Collection | ₹65.97 crore |
About Lagaan Movie:
Lagaan: Once Upon a Time is a Hindi musical sports drama film written and directed by Ashutosh Gowariker. The film stars Aamir Khan, Gracy Singh, Rachel Shelley, Paul Blackthorne, Suhasini Mula and Kulbhushan Kharbanda.
The film was produced by Aamir Khan under his production banner, Aamir Khan Productions. The film has music composed by A. R. Rahman, cinematography handled by Anil Mehta, and editing by Ballu Saluja.
Lagaan was inspired by 1957 film Naya Daur (1957), directed by B. R. Chopra. Aamir Khan initially thought the movie was too risky despite liking the script. However, after reading it to his mother, father, and then-wife Reena, they loved it and insisted he be part of the movie.
Preity Zinta, Sonali Bendre, and Amisha Patel were considered for the role of Gauri. Aamir Khan felt Bendre looked too urban and modern for the character. Eventually, the role went to TV actress Gracy Singh, known for her role in the hit show “Amaanat.”
The film took a year to plan, with ten months for production and one month to develop Aamir Khan’s character, which was tiring for the first-time producer. Khan assembled a crew of about 300 people for six months. Due to a lack of comfortable hotels in Bhuj, he furnished a new apartment for the crew, provided security, and brought in a housekeeping team.
Principal photography took place in villages near Bhuj. The movie had the biggest number of British actors ever to be cast in a single movie in the history of Indian Cinema.
Lagaan was theatrically released in India on June 15, 2001, clashing with Gadar: Ek Prem Katha. The film received widespread critical acclaim for Ashutosh Gowariker’s direction, Aamir Khan’s performance, dialogues, soundtrack, and the film’s anti-imperialist stance. Lagaan was also screened at numerous international film festivals and garnered multiple accolades.
Before the worldwide release of the film, Aamir Khan screened the film, especially for the villagers of Bhuj, where the film was shot.
Lagaan was the third, and as of 2024 the last, Indian film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film after Mother India (1957) and Salaam Bombay! (1988). Lagaan became the most-awarded film at the 47th Filmfare Awards with eight wins, including Best Film, Best Director for Gowariker, and Best Actor for Khan. At the 49th National Film Awards, the film won eight awards, including Best Popular Film.
Produced on a budget of ₹25 crore (US$5.3 million), Lagaan was the most expensive Indian film at the time of its release. Domestically, Lagaan grossed ₹55.13 crore in India and ₹10.84 crore (US$2.2 million) overseas. The film grossed ₹65.97 crore worldwide in 2001. This made it the third highest-grossing Hindi film of 2001, behind Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham and Gadar: Ek Prem Katha.
In China, where the film was released on May 16, 2003, it grossed ¥3 million, equivalent to ₹ 1.71 crore (US$362,500). Lagaan was the first Indian film to premiere in China. Including the film’s China collections, the film’s total worldwide gross was ₹67.68 crore (US$14.533 million)
