News Details

Where: Rudder Theatre 7:00 PM

Synopsis

Lagaan is set in late 19th centuryIndia. Captain Andrew Russell, the commanding officer of a British cantonment, oppresses the people of Champaner with high taxes (lagaan). The local ruler, Rajah Pooran Singh, asks that taxes be lowered, to ease the suffering of the drought-stricken villagers.

The peasants, who are already suffering from a prolonged drought, are devastated by this news. The monsoon is late; they will be unable to pay regular taxes, much less double taxes. They beg the rajah to help them, but he says he cannot persuade the British to mercy.The villagers, returning from their fruitless audience with the rajah, stop to watch the British officers playing cricket . Captain Russell notices them and sees the young, impetuous Bhuvan, who has previously angered him. The captain offers Bhuvan a wager: He will cancel the taxes of the whole province for three years if a village team can beat his men at cricket. If they lose, they will owe triple tax. To the horror of the other villagers, Bhuvan accepts this wager on their behalf. Nonetheless, the villagers of Champaner, and of all the neighboring villages, are furious with Bhuvan. No one has ever played cricket. How can complete novices beat the British?