
The farmers of Champaner village in the Central India Agency depend on monsoon rains for their livelihood. At the 49th National Film Awards, the film won eight awards, including Best Popular Film. Lagaan became the most-awarded film at the 47th Filmfare Awards with eight wins, including Best Film, Best Director for Gowariker and Best Actor for Khan. It was the third (and as of 2023, last) Indian film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film after Mother India (1957) and Salaam Bombay! (1988). Lagaan was screened at numerous international film festivals and garnered multiple accolades.

With earnings of ₹65.97 crore (US$13.98 million) during its initial release, the film was the third highest-grossing Hindi film of 2001. It received critical acclaim for Gowariker's direction, Khan's performance and the film's anti-imperialist stance.

Lagaan was theatrically released in India on 15 June 2001, clashing with Gadar: Ek Prem Katha. Rahman, with lyrics written by Javed Akhtar. The original soundtrack was composed by A. Nitin Chandrakant Desai served as art director, while Bhanu Athaiya was the costume designer. Principal photography took place in villages near Bhuj. The language featured in the film was based on Awadhi, but was diluted with standard Hindi for modern audiences. Gowariker was inspired by aspects of the sports drama Naya Daur (1957) in developing the film. Eventually, the film would become the maiden project of Aamir Khan Productions, and mark Khan's foray into film production. It faced multiple challenges during production: Khan was initially skeptical to star in a sports film, and later, prospective producers called for budget cuts and script modifications. Produced on a budget of ₹25 crore (US$5.3 million), Lagaan was the most expensive Indian film at the time of its release.

The villagers face the arduous task of learning a game that is alien to them and play for a victory. Set in 1893, during the late Victorian period of India's colonial British Raj, the film follows the inhabitants of a village in Central India, who, burdened by high taxes and several years of drought, are challenged by an arrogant British Indian Army officer to a game of cricket as a wager to avoid paying the taxes they owe. The film was produced by Aamir Khan, who stars alongside debutant Gracy Singh and British actors Rachel Shelley and Paul Blackthorne. Agricultural tax) is a 2001 Indian Hindi-language epic sports drama film written and directed by Ashutosh Gowariker. Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India ( transl.
