Question

FILM: View “Lagaan” by Ashutosh Gowariker, 2001 (225 minutes) before this class.

TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION AND FILM DIARY

1.) Relationships within the Indian family, especially between mother and son, and father and daughter. Provide evidences to support your claims.

2.) Relationships among caste groups and different religious communities--Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs--living in the village. Provide evidences from the film.

3.) The policies of the British as a government and the relationships between British officers and Indians. Provide evidences from film.

4.) Why do the villagers challenge the British tax policy and what does the film portray as the basis for their eventual victory in the cricket game?

5.) Relationships between British private citizens and Indians. Provide evidences from film.

Answer 1

Lagaan movie is set in colonial period of British Raj in India when British power was at it's extreme height.

1- Indian families are very close knit.Mother usually shares very close bond with his son, in fact son usually takes his mother opinion before deciding on anything big. However, though father and daughter share close bond there is restrained communication between them while mother and son indulge in expressive communication.

2- Village community is shown as one big community where decisions are taken mutually, and people share close bond but there is significant bias against low cast people and minority religion. When Bhuvan(protagonist) decides to take a member from low caste community due to his bowling skills, there was significant resistance from other team members

3-British officer especially Russell is portrayed as arrogant and British tax policies as oppressive. They had no concern for well being of Indian peasants who were struggling with drought.

4- British land revenue policy conditions were very harsh for Indian peasants. They were struggling with drought, still the province head was not ready to reduce tax. His arrogance and attitude compelled Bhuvan to challenge British tax policy. Bhuvan and his team won the cricket match against British as a result of which Russell had to pay 3 years of land revenue from his pocket (it was decided if Bhuvan and his team win’s Russel would cancel 3 years of land tax)

5-Relationship between British private citizens and Indians were more cordial when compared to British officials. In fact Russel’s sister helped Bhuvan in understanding the rules of cricket game and wished for his victory.