Unheard Melodies in Lagaan
The best way to remember something is to try to forget it. The context, here, is of a Hindi film "Lagaan : Once upon a Time in India" (2001), written and directed by Ashutosh Gowarikar and narrated by Amitabh Bachchan. It tells us a story of the native Indians trying to come out of the uncomfortable situation during the Victorian period of the British Raj.
The drought for a long time compells peasants to request the rulers to free them of the tax they've to pay to the colonial government. To their disappointment, they are entrapped into a wager that if they beat a British team in a game of cricket, their taxes for three years would be cancelled. They accept it and after learning the alien game, are able to defeat their opponent. Their joy in this victory can be compared to the joy of making the country independent. The result is the local British ruler himself has to pay the whole price as a compensation to the government .
Undoubtedly, there are several beautiful aspects included in this movie like a wonderful combination of British imperialism and political intrigue with interracial love, the patriotic feeling of the native Indians, their solidarity and so on. But, on the other hand, the third Hindi language film to be nominated for the Academy award for Best Foreign Language Film (http://en. Wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagaan) can not be cleared off of several serious faults. The film seems to be bent over to criticize the British Raj in India. So, it is unnecessary to search for the negative shade it is casting over the colonial rulers. It will also be futile to eye for the positive colour it is spreading in its own face. Our concern, here is the loopholes in both of the efforts .
As mentioned earlier, cricket is an alien game to the Indians at that time (in the movie) and it is an arduous task for them to learn it because they are going to play it not for amusement but for endowing a new fate to their community. In a sense, they are in a state of do-or-die. In such a condition, they are helped by an Indian from another state but the help by a white lady herself cannot be undermined. Although pushed by a feeling of love toward the protagonist, the lady shows herself as a ray of hope to all the villagers. She is even rebucked in her own company for what she does for those natives. After the game is over, she remains empty-handed. Certainly, we can guess her fate after the British team loses the game. Even at the risk of her own happiness, she proves herself a saviour of the Indians, who seem to be busy in themselves celebrating the victory instead of being grateful to her.
Just opposite to her character, there is a groom who takes part in the Indian cricket team. He is shown as a changed person towards the end but we cannot neglect the negative impression that he spells over the viewers. As we can see in many other films with a similar theme, it is the Indians themselves who give a lift to the foreign rulers to tread on their own bosom. Lured by physical enchantment, such natives are ready to sway against a great interest of their whole family itself. It can also be linked to the idea that while people were marching against the alien government during the independence movement, there were other friends of their own who were enjoying the white company even at such troublesome times. The failure of several attempts with the same aim was enhanced by such Judas. Although not in a very negative role, we are shocked to meet another character, a local 'King' of the Indians having his potrait drawn while his people from a barren village are undergoing starvation. In the hands of the British rulers,he proves just to be a puppet. In a sense, it is a positive aspect of the film that it has unfolded such negative aspects unhesitantly.
Last but not least is the sense of honesty found in the British rulers. Although some of them are selfish and cruel, we can see other characters who are honest and their brightness sinks away the dark faces of others like stars at day time. We tend to think about their greatness instead of focusing on others. It is those rulers themselves who conduct the match and they can turn into Duryodhana and Sakuni, if they desire, against the poor Pandavas because the game is completely new to the Indians and moreover, they can use physical force to change the result. To our surprise, they are ready to accept their destiny instead of doing anything within their reach. This doesnot mean that these melodies are sweeter, but certainly, one may feel something like that sitting in front of a display unit for 224 minutes. The film craves for the Indian hearts, and at the same time, doesnot want to lose its alien supporters, killing two birds with the same stone. The directer, and the whole unit, is successful in showing the Indians 'great' but it has become like the story of the person who got a boon that his opponents would get three times more than what he asked for himself .
The drought for a long time compells peasants to request the rulers to free them of the tax they've to pay to the colonial government. To their disappointment, they are entrapped into a wager that if they beat a British team in a game of cricket, their taxes for three years would be cancelled. They accept it and after learning the alien game, are able to defeat their opponent. Their joy in this victory can be compared to the joy of making the country independent. The result is the local British ruler himself has to pay the whole price as a compensation to the government .
Undoubtedly, there are several beautiful aspects included in this movie like a wonderful combination of British imperialism and political intrigue with interracial love, the patriotic feeling of the native Indians, their solidarity and so on. But, on the other hand, the third Hindi language film to be nominated for the Academy award for Best Foreign Language Film (http://en. Wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagaan) can not be cleared off of several serious faults. The film seems to be bent over to criticize the British Raj in India. So, it is unnecessary to search for the negative shade it is casting over the colonial rulers. It will also be futile to eye for the positive colour it is spreading in its own face. Our concern, here is the loopholes in both of the efforts .
As mentioned earlier, cricket is an alien game to the Indians at that time (in the movie) and it is an arduous task for them to learn it because they are going to play it not for amusement but for endowing a new fate to their community. In a sense, they are in a state of do-or-die. In such a condition, they are helped by an Indian from another state but the help by a white lady herself cannot be undermined. Although pushed by a feeling of love toward the protagonist, the lady shows herself as a ray of hope to all the villagers. She is even rebucked in her own company for what she does for those natives. After the game is over, she remains empty-handed. Certainly, we can guess her fate after the British team loses the game. Even at the risk of her own happiness, she proves herself a saviour of the Indians, who seem to be busy in themselves celebrating the victory instead of being grateful to her.
Just opposite to her character, there is a groom who takes part in the Indian cricket team. He is shown as a changed person towards the end but we cannot neglect the negative impression that he spells over the viewers. As we can see in many other films with a similar theme, it is the Indians themselves who give a lift to the foreign rulers to tread on their own bosom. Lured by physical enchantment, such natives are ready to sway against a great interest of their whole family itself. It can also be linked to the idea that while people were marching against the alien government during the independence movement, there were other friends of their own who were enjoying the white company even at such troublesome times. The failure of several attempts with the same aim was enhanced by such Judas. Although not in a very negative role, we are shocked to meet another character, a local 'King' of the Indians having his potrait drawn while his people from a barren village are undergoing starvation. In the hands of the British rulers,he proves just to be a puppet. In a sense, it is a positive aspect of the film that it has unfolded such negative aspects unhesitantly.
Last but not least is the sense of honesty found in the British rulers. Although some of them are selfish and cruel, we can see other characters who are honest and their brightness sinks away the dark faces of others like stars at day time. We tend to think about their greatness instead of focusing on others. It is those rulers themselves who conduct the match and they can turn into Duryodhana and Sakuni, if they desire, against the poor Pandavas because the game is completely new to the Indians and moreover, they can use physical force to change the result. To our surprise, they are ready to accept their destiny instead of doing anything within their reach. This doesnot mean that these melodies are sweeter, but certainly, one may feel something like that sitting in front of a display unit for 224 minutes. The film craves for the Indian hearts, and at the same time, doesnot want to lose its alien supporters, killing two birds with the same stone. The directer, and the whole unit, is successful in showing the Indians 'great' but it has become like the story of the person who got a boon that his opponents would get three times more than what he asked for himself .
(Personal views, welcome for suggestions)
