Postcolonial Studies and Bollywood : Lagan

Hello Monks.

I am Riddhi Bhatt. Student of English Department from MKBU. You know...what is today's blog ?This blog is Thinking Activity : Postcolonial Studies and Bollywood. This task is assigned by Prof. Dr. Dilip Barad sir, Head of the English Department of Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavsinhji Bhavnagar University (MKBU). As a part of the syllabus, students of English department are learning the paper The Postcolonial Studies(paper-203). So, let’s start making this wonderful blog task. But before we start I want to give short information about what kind of things we see here…
I am going to discuss postcolonial criticism in the popular Bollywood movie, ' Lagan'.So discuss some of the important aspects of the movie which reveal this theory.Before discussing postcolonial theory in this movie.  I would like to give you a brief indication about  what postcolonialism means.

Postcolonialism :

Postcolonialism, the historical period or state of affairs representing the aftermath of Western colonialism; the term can also be used to describe the concurrent project to reclaim and rethink the history and agency of people subordinated under various forms of imperialism. Postcolonialism signals a possible future of overcoming colonialism, yet new forms of domination or subordination can come in the wake of such changes, including new forms of global empire. Postcolonialism should not be confused with the claim that the world we live in now is actually devoid of colonialism.

Postcolonial Study in Lagan :

"Lagaan" is an enormously entertaining movie, like nothing we've ever seen before, and yet completely familiar. Set in India in 1893, it combines sports with political intrigue, romance with evil."Lagaan" is said to be the most ambitious, expensive and successful Bollywood film ever made, and has been a box-office hit all over the world.

Postcolonialism in literature voices the aftermath of colonisation in a country, especially concentrates on the political and cultural independence of formerly subjugated people and themes such as colonialism and racialism. In short, Post colonialism commenced from the end of world war II. Post-colonial literature also concentrates on the psychological state of the colonised. 

Even after being freed from the powers of colonial forces the subjugated people still find themselves inferior. In Lagaan, there is a political resistance, a movement with an organised effort from a group of people to resist a power. It can either be a violent or non-violent method. The form diverse according to the period and type of people involved. In the movie, the villagers don’t indulge in any violent practises but they resist the political unfairness through a fair play of cricket. 

They demand justice through a fair playground. Though they are unfamiliar with the do and don’ts of the game, the spirit is untouched. They motivate other fellow villagers to join the cause and resist the imperial powers. In colonial period, it was not only military power but also the materialistic possessions that aided the British forces to oppress the native citizens. In light of this scenario, Indian men who were exposed to the colonial approachresulted in restricting the women folk. But modernity over the periodchanged the livesof these women and in the post-colonial period, they emerged as nationalist figure who didnot blindly imitate the western woman but rather indulged in the building of the nation’s progress with heroriental philosophies of spirituality. Here, the differences between the British woman and nativewoman lies in the very separation of materialism and spiritualism.

Also, in the movie, When Bhuvan returns after making the challenge, the villagers get angry with him. They are afraid that they couldn’t stand up to them and win a foreign game. In addition to that they will have to pay taxes. This shows the psychological impact that is made by the superior powers upon the Indians. They think that they have to remain silent and follow their rule. Escaping from the trap of these forces is nearly impossible. 

The organised cricket showcased in the movieis one particular farmer community’s response to British rule in India.Cricket nationalism is reproduced as a contrast from nationalistpolitics and the two are kept separate. Here, cricket is not a means of entertainment or a fun activity. In the eyes of Britishers it can be said so. But for the villagers, it is a game of survival. The Britishers enjoy each and every part of the game but the villagers are in a disturbed mental state. They have so much to lose when compared to the British officials. They try and practise hard to succeed in the game. This shows the desperation and dilemma of the villagers. For a small town in India, a game of cricket wouldn’t be an area of interest. They are struggling day and night for their survival and the country’s state is not much favourable to them. Hence, putting forward to them the concept of a challenge is irrational and humiliating at the same time.

The villagers were also colonized based on modernity. The Britishers live a life of luxury, using modernised products to make their life easier. On the other hand, the villagers have to work hard to even have the basic needs of their life. They use traditional utensils and methods to do their daily chores. When it comes to the game cricket, the official uses their expensive bats and balls made from excellent materials. The villagers have to make their own materials to practice and use. 

The extreme differences in lifestyle shows the aftermath of colonisation that led to the deterioration of living conditionsin the country. Even the clothes used by Russell sister portrays the British culture. She uses hats and umbrella to beat the scorching heat. She doesn’t have much labour to do and spends most of the time lavishly. In the case if Indian women, they are hardworking in nature. They have to walk miles to fetch water. They look after the family needs and are indulged in household activities which are exhausting. They help and support their husbands mentally. 

They aren’t educated as much when compared to the British women nor have a luxurious lifestyle. They are plain and simple, both in character and living. But the modernity was never an excuse for the villagers. Their resistance towards the colonial powers is an example. It is evident that they chose to fight and win the challenges with limited resources and talent. The spirit of unity is their greatest strength and weapon to win the challenge.

The analysis of the film in reference to the social, economic and political condition of the country imply that the imperial forces play a pivotal role in restructuring India. Through the Gandhian principle of Non-violence and other propaganda, the citizens have made an impactful change that later led to many such incidents. The film projects that we have been oppressed and subjugated for a long time that we almost forgot that we had our own voice. We were internally struggling but the fear of being oppressed made us silent. It also shows the class exploitation and bourgeoisie culture. Lagaan represents thousands of unsung stories that made a change in resetting the history of India.

THANK YOU..............