Taxes, water, and fashion statements

  Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001) During the middle of a severe drought, one 19th century Indian village asks the local British magistrate for relief from the annual land tax (lagaan).  Somehow, this request turns into a wager: if the villagers defeat the magistrate’s cricket team, their land tax is cancelled for three… Continue reading Taxes, water, and fashion statements

Joyful and embarrasing

  Swades: We, the People (2004) NASA engineer Mohan Bhargava goes to India to visit his grandmother after his parent’s death where he discovers a passion for his heritage and falls in love with an old childhood friend.  Eventually, he must choose between his homeland and his work . India film culture is almost like an echo of classic Hollywood… Continue reading Joyful and embarrasing

The Baron, the warriors, and a big fan

  The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988) An elderly man claiming to be the Baron von Münchausen interrupts a play supposedly based on his life to point out its many inaccuracies and correct the record.  When the Angel of Death comes to collect Münchausen, he escapes in a hot air balloon made from women’s underwear. The… Continue reading The Baron, the warriors, and a big fan