Lagaan

Set just before the turn of the century and subtitled Once Upon a Time in India, this Oscar-nominated epic chronicles the struggle of a drought-stricken Indian community to pay its recently doubled yearly "lagaan"--land taxes levied by the local British ruler, who happens to be a stereotypically arrogant chap lacking only a twirling mustache. In lieu of paying the tax, a group of villagers led by an upstart young farmer accepts a challenge to defeat the British at their own game: a cricket match. Perhaps the most accessible “Bollywood” film for Western audiences, the genre's stylistic tradition of inexplicably breaking for random musical numbers still makes this a pretty problematic pick for most stateside viewers--especially given its very considerable length. A strong optional purchase. (T. Rich)