Arguably the most well-received film in Indian cinema history, Lagaan is coming to DVD in January. The winner of the Audience Award at the 2001 Locarno International Film Festival is on its way from Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment.

The year is 1893 when Britain’s Queen Victoria was the unsympathetic ruler of India. The British crushed every uprising, large or small in exchange for protection and wealth. The people of Champaner, a small farming village in Central India, faced adversity with fortitude and injustice with dignity when they were forced to pay twice the amount of “lagaan” (tax) that year to the local king. This is an inspiring story of a battle without bloodshed fought by a group of unlikely heroes led by Bhuvan, an enigmatic young farmer with courage born of conviction – and a dream in his heart. Helped by Elizabeth, an English rose who came to India and lost her heart, and Bhuvan’s pillar of strength, Gauri, the young and perky village girl who dreams only of a home with the man she loves, Bhuvan. Will a game of cricket, totally alien and unknown to the villages, stop three years of lagaan for the Indian people?

Presented in anamorphic widescreen, “Lagaan” will be presented in English/Hindi Dolby Digital 5.1. In addition to the film, which clocks in at almost four hours, the new DVD will contain deleted scenes, a weblink and filmographies.

Coming on January 22nd, “Lagaan” will carry a suggested list price of $27.96, plus of course sales lagaan.