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On to the Oscars

The Indian Cricket Team has won. They have triumphed over the British in their very first match and they have taken the first step towards freeing their country. By the way, we are talking about the Lagaan Cricket Team. And the real team behind the film - Aamir Khan, A.R. Rahman and Ashutosh Gowarikar.

Full credit goes to Ashutosh Gowarikar for conceiving a very different story (by Bollywood standards, that is). No running around trees, no garish clothes with dancers in the background, no dumb heroine who seems to live in mini skirts and has a brain to match. Ashutosh, instead, wanted to show the earthiness of Kutch, the optimism of its people and their simplicity.

Lagaan, as you must all be knowing by now, is about a spirited villager who dares challenge a British officer. The latter tells the villager that if they win a cricket match against the British team, he would waive their taxes. The villagers, who have no idea of what the game is all about, get together and learn the game with great difficulty. The latter half of the film revolves almost entirely around the cricket match. Of course, the Indian Lagaan team wins.

This film has been nominated for the Oscar awards this year. Aamir Khan is understandably excited as is director Ashutosh. All of India is watching with bated breath as to whether Lagaan will win that elusive Oscar. It should be noted that no Indian film has ever won an Oscar. And if Lagaan gets an Oscar, it will be the best thing to happen to the film industry and to cricket-crazy India.