Lagaan :: Chale Chalo

Lagaan :: Chale Chalo

For those of you who know me, you will know that I love Bollywood movies - specifically the movie Lagaan. This movie was my first ever Bollywood movie, and was the first time that I had ever seen how cricket was played :) Lagaan is set in the 1800s in a rural village in India, during the British colonial rule. Each village is responsible for paying a food tax (a Lagaan) each season, however, this particular year the village is experiencing a drought and cannot afford to pay the Lagaan AND have enough food to feed the community.

Faced with this reality, a young man from the community challenges a cocky British soldier to a cricket game - if the villagers beat this soldiers team in a game of cricket, they will not have to pay lagaan for 2 years; if the soldiers win, the village will have to pay double lagaan.

Here's the catch - the villagers don't know how to play cricket. The young man has to convince his community that they can learn the game and beat the British and be free of Lagaan - which is a daunting task when you see all the people he's trying to get to be on his team!

This would not be a Bollywood movie if it didn't involve a love triangle and some serious pining - so the plot is twisted when the head British soldier's sister (played by The L Word's 'Helena') sneaks off to teach the villagers how to play cricket.

I won't spoil the rest of the movie for you, but that's the basic plot. The score is by A.R. Rahman (who aslo scored Slumdog Millionaire) and it's fucking incredible - stylistically, musically, compositionally...even if it is a little cheesy at times. Bollywood wouldn't be Bollywood if it didn't incorporate a little bit of fantasy and cheesy humor though - and once you can appreciate that, you can start to understand the true beauty of Bollywood movies.

This is a really great movie, so if you've got a few hours, you should Netflix it and enjoy!

The end.
Love,
Meggo.

P.S. I have included a rough translation of the lyrics so you can get a hint at what the song is all about.

(Baar baar haan, bolo yaar haan
Again and again, speak my friend
Apni jeet ho, unki haar haan) - 2
May victory be ours and defeat be theirs
Koi humse jeet na paave
May no one be able to defeat us
Chale chalo, chale chalo
Come, let us move on
Mit jaave jo takraave, chale chalo
May whoever confronts us be defeated, come 
Bhale ghor andheraa chhaave
Even if pitch darkness shadows us
Chale chalo, chale chalo
Come, let us move on
Koi raah mein na thaam jaawe, chale chalo
May no one halt in the road, come
Toot gayi jo ungli utthi
The accusing finger upon us has been broken
Paanchon mili to ban gaye mutthi
Because we five have come together like a fist
Eka badhta hi jaawe
May our unity only grow
Chale chalo, chale chalo
Come, let us move on
Koi kitna bhi bahekaave, chale chalo
However much anyone tempts us, come
Koi humse jeet na paave
May no one be able to defeat us
Chale chalo, chale chalo
Come, let us move on
Mit jaave jo takraave, chale chalo
May whoever confronts us be defeated, come 

Koi na ab roke tujhe, toke tujhe
May no one stop you or question you
Tod de bandhan saare
Break all ties
Mila hai kya hoke tujhe nirbal, tu hi bataa
What have you gained by being helpless, tell me

Kabhi na dukh jhelenge, khelenge
No pain will come upon us, we will compete
Aise ke dushman haare
In such a way that our enemies will be defeated
Ke ab to le lenge, himmat ka rasta
We will now take the courageous route
Dharti hilaa denge, sab ko dikhaa denge
We will shake the earth, we will show everyone
Raja hai kya, parja hai kya, oh oh oh
Who is king, who are the ruled ones
Hum jag pe chhaayenge, ab yeh bataayenge
We will shadow the earth, now we will show
Hum logon ka darja hai kya, ho oh oh oh
What the status of our people is
Baar baar haan, bolo yaar haan
Again and again, speak my friend
Apni jeet ho, unki haar haan
May victory be ours and defeat be theirs
Ab darr nahin mann mein aave
May no fears now enter our minds
Chale chalo, chale chalo
Come, let us move on
Har bedi ab khul jaave, chale chalo
May every shackle be opened up, come

Chalaa hi chal, haanf nahin, kaanp nahin
Just walk on, don't gasp, don't tremble
Raah mein ab to raahi
Now on this path, oh traveler
Thakan ka saanp nahin ab tujhe dasne paaye
May the snake of fatigue be able to bite you now

Vohi jo tera haaqim hai, jaalim hai
It is the one that is your cruel master
Ki hai jisne tabaahi
Who has caused destruction
Ghar uska pachhim hai, yahan na bas mein paaye
His house is westward, he cannot stay here
Dharti hilaa denge, sab ko dikhaa denge
We will shake the earth, we will show everyone
Raja hai kya, parja hai kya, oh oh oh
Who is king, who are the ruled ones
Hum jag pe chhaayenge, ab yeh bataayenge
We will shadow the earth, now we will show
Hum logon ka darja hai kya, ho oh oh oh
What the status of our people is
Jo hona hai, ho jaave
May whatever is to happen, happen
Chale chalo, chale chalo
Come, let us move on
Ab sar na koi jhukaave, chale chalo
May none bow their heads, come
Koi humse jeet na paave
May no one be able to defeat us
Chale chalo, chale chalo
Come, let us move on
Mit jaave jo takraave, chale chalo
May whoever confronts us be defeated, come 
Baar baar haan, bolo yaar haan
Again and again, speak my friend
Apni jeet ho, unki haar haan
May victory be ours and defeat be theirs
(Toot gayi jo ungli utthi
The accusing finger upon us has been broken
Paanchon mili to ban gaye mutthi)
Because we five have come together like a fist