Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India Page #4

upon every courtyard

Now every bud will bloom

Every path will ring

with laughter now

The wafting breeze

makes the season balmy

Doused is the scorching heat

burning body and soul

O black cloud!

Pour down rain

Dark and dense

come the swirling clouds

Darkly dense

roar the spreading clouds

The clouds'thunderous sting

reverberates

Oh, look!

How lethally does lightning flash

Oh! Dear God!

We celebrated too soon.

One can't say

what God is punishing us for.

There'll be no rain this year too.

Bloody lunatic.

Always says inauspicious things!

- Black-tongued wretch!!

Hear! Hear this proclamation.

Orders of Raja Puran Singh,

your liege and master.

This year, you shall pay twice

the regular amount...

...of wheat, rice and maize.

The order of double Lagaan will

apply to the whole province.

How can this be possible!

- This is tyranny!

Double Lagaan!

Demon! Why don't you just skin

us alive, and be done with it!

Our plight isn't hidden from the Raja.

Even then, double Lagaan!

What wrong have we done?

Why should we pay double?

We didn't pay tax on time last year.

And we paid only half.

But, father, it was Rajaji who waived it

because it didn't rain.

Sweets one year and

abuse the next!

It means we're being punished

for it now! Well done, Rajaji!!

Quiet, Lakha!

I won't hear one word against

our Rajaji.

He and his ancestors have

protected us all these years.

So? Was that any favour?

It's the tree's duty to shelter.

All I want to know is...

How long'll hungry stomachs

sing his praise! Fill his coffers!

Try and understand, Arjan.

This demand is the doing

of those damn White Sahibs.

Whether we put it into

the right hand or the left...

...it's we who pay, Chief!

I say we all go to the palace

and talk to him.

He's seen these clouds as well.

We'll say we can't pay Lagaan

this year. Not a grain!

What if Rajaji refuses even

after hearing us out?

Then all the separate fingers

will close into a fist, Chief.

Meaning? You'll fight?

If it's necessary, even that.

Have you gone crazy!

If you offend Rajaji...

...not only you - we will

all be ruined!

Is your life now all joy and comfort?

Aren't you suffering?

Whatever happens, I won't let

the whole village come to harm.

What do you want?

Sell our homes? Our cattle?

Even ourselves?

What justice is it to demand

double Lagaan?

Come on, Benson.

Pitch it up a bit.

Running.

Chief, there's our Rajaji.

Hey! Where're you going?

Please, brother, we've got to meet

His Highness. It's most urgent.

All right.

But the game is going on.

Sit here. You must wait till

the game gets over.

All of you sit down.

What are they playing?

God knows what

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