Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8738 in DVD
• Released on: 2002-05-27
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Formats: Box set, Dubbed, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: Hindi
• Subtitled in: Arabic, Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Norwegian, Polish, Swedish, Turkish
• Dubbed in: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 216 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Lagaan is a must-see movie for anyone with an interest in Indian cinema or cinema beyond Hollywood. Although very much within the mainstream Hindi cinema of Bombay/Mumbai in terms of its stars, use of song and dance and its length, Lagaan took a gamble with the domestic Indian audience. It breaks all contemporary conventions of Hindi film by being set in an Indian village during the British Raj, far away from the more usual modern metropolitan cities and exotic foreign locations.

It also seemed destined to fail internationally, given that it features a cricket match lasting longer than the average Hollywood film and avoids the melodramatic kitsch, camp style that is celebrated in the West as "Bollywood". Yet Lagaan was not only a huge hit domestically but was also only the third Indian film to ever be nominated for an Oscar in the foreign-language category, thanks to its outstanding performances, music and narrative.

On the DVD: Lagaan on DVD is presented with good picture and sound, but otherwise has little more to offer, despite being a two-disc package. The features are less than exciting, comprising 17 minutes of deleted footage with no explanation, the theatrical trailers for two other films rather than for this film and a list of films in which several key participants have worked with no clips. Most DVDs of Indian films have an extra menu for song selections but here one has to move through the scene menu. There are subtitles in several languages. --Rachel Dwyer

DVD Description
DVD Special Features:

Disc 1: Feature movie; 15 minutes of deleted scenes; Filmographies; Trailers
Disc 2: Feature movie

Languages: Hindi/English
Subtitles: Arabic, Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Norwegian, Polish, Swedish, Turkish
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
Aspect Ratio: 1:2.35

Synopsis
Considered to be a modern classic of Indian cinema, LAGAAN is a musical drama which tells the story of a central Indian farming village in 1893. The village waits for the monsoons to come and rain on its crops, but the ground remains dry and infertile. Meanwhile, British ruler Captain Russell (Paul Blackthorne) demands lagaan--or double normal taxes--from the villagers. When it becomes clear that they can't pay, Russell challenges the villagers to a game of cricket, a game they know nothing about. Teaching the villagers about the game falls on the shoulders of farmer Bhuvan (Aamir Khan). As they begin to learn, the villagers are inspired to go up against Russell, with tax negotiation as the stakes for the game. Full of choreographed musical numbers and climaxing in a pulse-pounding cricket match, LAGAAN is a fun, heartwarming British/Indian production that should have no difficulties translating across other national borders.

Customer Reviews

Great family film
My route to this movie is quite longwinded. I am a white englishman, so Bend it Like Beckham is the closest I have come to a Bollywood movie before now, but each year I play cricket against London Theatres and one of their players mentioned that he and a number of his team mates had been to India to play cricket in this film. I then heard that one of them had written a book about the experience "From Balham to Bollywood". So I bought and read the book (which is fascinating) and this led to me checking out the movie.

As I said, I am not experienced in the Bollywood genre, so have nothing to compare it to, but despite the cod-ness of some of the cricket scenes I found myself and my whole family thoroughly enjoying the 3 hour experience of watching this film. Good, old fashioned cinema fun that seems to be going out of fashion elsewhere in the world.

I recommend anybody, whatever race or creed to check out this DVD.

My first Bollywood movie. Top class.
My route to this movie is quite longwinded. I am a white englishman, so Bend it Like Beckham is the closest I have come to a Bollywood movie before now, but each year I play cricket against London Theatres and one of their players mentioned that he and a number of his team mates had been to India to play cricket in this film. I then heard that one of them had written a book about the experience "From Balham to Bollywood". So I bought and read the book (which is fascinating) and this led to me checking out the movie.

As I said, I am not experienced in the Bollywood genre, so have nothing to compare it to, but despite the cod-ness of some of the cricket scenes I found myself and my whole family thoroughly enjoying the 3 hour experience of watching this film. Good, old fashioned cinema fun that seems to be going out of fashion elsewhere in the world.

I recommend anybody, whatever race or creed to check out this DVD.

enthralling, dynamic, entertaining, one of the best
I have seen many Indian movies and I think I am a bit of a connoisseur. I rate Lagaan among the all-time best. I like the historical perspective. It plays on the fanatic Indian love for cricket and places the colonials in fair light. I found the boyish Aamir came of age for his Direction, in complement to his superb acting. I have seen the film 5 times. I feel proud to say that whereas I am not Indian, my wife is and she did not have to force me to see Lagaan.
I would force many people to see it though and they would be grateful for the chance.
Keep it up Aamir and bravo Bollywood.