Published By: Sayan Paul

Why 'Lagaan' Lost the Oscar Despite Being a Strong Contender - An Analysis

Back in 2002, 'Lagaan' became the third Indian film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, after 'Mother India' (1957) and 'Salaam Bombay!' (1988).

As we are all set for the Oscars 2025 ceremony (March 3), the debate is back - would 'All We Imagine As Light' have had a better shot if it had been sent as India's official entry instead of 'Laapataa Ladies'? While opinions differ, this is a great time to look back at the last Indian film that made it to the top five of Oscars' Best Foreign Language Film category. In 2002, 'Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India' became the third Indian film to achieve the feat, behind ‘Mother India' and 'Salaam Bombay!'. The Aamir Khan-starrer, directed by Ashutosh Gowariker, was seen as a strong contender, with many believing it could finally break India’s long Oscar drought and bring home the prestigious award. But in the end, it lost.

(Credit: Aamir Khan Official Team)

Now, while there's no definite answer to why 'Lagaan' lost the race, let's try to understand the possible reasons.

Tough Competition

Winning the Oscar isn't just about being a great film (which 'Lagaan' obviously was), but about being the best, especially in the eyes of the Academy jury members. At the 2002 Oscars, 'Lagaan' was competing against some of the finest films from across the world - 'No Man's Land', 'Amélie', 'Elling', and 'Son of the Bride'. Each was a heavyweight in its own way, making the competition remarkably tough.

Also, it has a lot to do with marketing as well. Although 'Lagaan' had managed to create a strong buzz worldwide, with Aamir Khan leaving no stone unturned in his campaigns, it wasn't as strong as the winning film, 'No Man's Land'.

(Credit: Moviewa)

Danis Tanović, the director of 'No Man's Land', was already a popular figure in the United States with his previous films such as 'Miracle in Bosnia', 'L'Aube', and 'Buđenje'. Also, his film was a co-production among companies in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Italy, France, Belgium, and the United Kingdom, meaning it had that extra boost. 'Lagaan', on the other hand, was entirely an Indian production, and neither Ashutosh Gowariker nor Aamir Khan was a well-known figure in the US at that time.

(Credit: sunita.gowariker)

Length - 3 Hours, 44 Minutes

According to many, the primary reason why 'Lagaan' lost the Oscar was its length. The Academy jury (especially those for the Best Foreign Language Film category) usually prefers films with 90-120 minutes of duration. They have to watch multiple films before the voting process, and hence the 3 hours and 44 minutes duration of 'Lagaan' may have discouraged some of them. As the renowned American writer-filmmaker Lawrence David Foldes said in an interview, "'Lagaan' may have lost the most prestigious award because of its length. Americans are not used to watching long films. A film of around two hours becomes too much for them. Aamir Khan-starrer 'Lagaan' was over three-and-half hours, and this may have probably gone against it."

Notably, 'No Man's Land', the winner, had a runtime of 98 minutes.

Cultural Context

While a film that goes deep into local culture is often accepted globally (as they say, "The more local you go, the more global you become"), sometimes - especially at the Oscars - it can be a disadvantage.

'Lagaan' is about a group of Indian villagers in the British colonial era, who must outperform a team of British Indian Army officers in a game of cricket to avoid paying the taxes they owe. The core theme, although powerful for an Indian audience, may have felt too alienated for the Americans. I'm not saying the voters would dismiss the film solely on this basis (in that case, it wouldn't have received the nomination), but when you compare it with the other nominees that year, you understand. 'No Man’s Land' is a war film, and war is a theme that resonates universally. 'Amélie' is a romantic comedy, 'Son of the Bride' is a comedy-drama, and 'Elling' is a black comedy.

(Credit: BookMyShow UAE)

Cricket, a major part of 'Lagaan', holds little relevance for the U.S. audience, which may have made it harder to market the film effectively at the Oscars. On the other hand, the film has multiple song-and-dance sequences, which Americans don’t usually prefer much unless it’s a musical.

(Credit: SonyMusicIndiaVEVO)

Making it to the top five at the Oscars is no small feat for an Indian film. What's more, 'Lagaan' was Ashutosh Gowariker's third film as a director and Aamir Khan's first as a producer. Hence, it was already a winner for us the moment it got nominated.