Lagaan

Lagaan (English: Taxation) is a 2001 Indian epic sports-drama film written and directed by Ashutosh Gowariker. Aamir Khan, who was also the producer, stars with Gracy Singh in the lead roles; British actors Rachel Shelley and Paul Blackthorne play the supporting roles. Made on a then-unprecedented budget of ₹250 million (equivalent to ₹540 million or US$8.0 million in 2016), the film was shot in an ancient village near Bhuj, India.

The film is set in the Victorian period of India's colonial British Raj. The story revolves around a small village whose inhabitants, oppressed by high taxes, find themselves in an extraordinary situation as an arrogant officer challenges them to a game of cricket as a wager to avoid the taxes. The narrative spins around this situation as the villagers face the arduous task of learning the alien game and playing for a result that will change their village's destiny.

Lagaan received critical acclaim and awards at international film festivals, as well as many Indian film awards. It became the third Indian film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film after Mother India (1957) and Salaam Bombay! (1988). It was one of the biggest box office hits of 2001. In 2010, the film was ranked No. 55 in Empire magazines "The 100 Best Films of World Cinema". In 2011, it was listed in Time magazine's special "The All-TIME 25 Best Sports Movies".

Lagaan (soundtrack)

The acclaimed soundtrack for the film was composed by A. R. Rahman with lyrics by Javed Akhtar. There are six songs and two instrumental pieces in this film. Rahman incorporated several music styles and genres to create the soundtrack.

Upon release, the soundtrack became highly popular, with all songs becoming huge hits. It also received high critical acclaim, with many reviewers stating it as a "Magnum Opus" by A. R. Rahman. It is described as one of Rahman's finest and most successful works to date. The rich background score of the film also got great critical acclaim and is said to have contributed immensely to the film's success.

Album reception

The Los Angeles Times said that the "songs and dances are not mere interludes inserted in the action, bringing it to a halt—a Bollywood trademark—but are fully integrated into the plot and marked by expressive, dynamic singing and dancing that infuse a historical drama with energy and immediacy." A review of the tracks suggests that "the music is true to the time period (the British Raj)". Another review said: "A. R. Rahman is again at his prodigious best. His score for Aamir Khan's period drama Lagaan is a delectable blend of Indian classical music, folk melodies and jazzy snazzy tunes." The reviewer of Screen India said, "Great music, heard after a long time, which elevates your senses. That Rahman's among the best is proved here." The soundtrack was ranked No. 44 on Amazon.com's "The 100 Greatest World Music Albums of All Time". The soundtrack won 3 National Film Awards in three categories. A. R. Rahman won the award for the best music, Udit Narayan won the Best Male Playback Singer Award for "Mitwa" and Javed Akhtar won the Best Lyrics Award for "Ghanan Ghanan" and "Radha Kaise Na Jale".Lagaan also became the biggest audio hit of the year by topping the music charts and selling 3.5 million records within a year.