The essential hero tale is universal. This story, although ostensibly about a man converting raw talent into a winning cricket team, weaves many rich subplots into its texture including the issue of caste division. I could not help referencing my understanding of the story to other, more Western, movies like Major League (obvious there), Oklahoma ( a Curly - like character tries to sabotage things due to jealousy), and The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (the music in places) and, of course, The Seven Samurai/Magnificent Seven (a "warrior" tries to recruit eleven men to fight for a village). The actors and actresses, though probably not well known in the US, carry out their roles with consummate skill. I would hope to see them in other films as well.
Review of Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India
