Bhuvan
He is an enigmatic young farmer with courage born of conviction – and a dream in his heart. He shows great compassion to people (especially to lower caste classification) and animals (dubbed by Captain Russell as their protector because he distracts them when Captain Russell poaches). His character has been very consistent all throughout, his values and principles intact. He despises the actuations of the British and was one of those desirous for justice. When he knows that they can, he will not stop trying (even though the scales are tipped to their disadvantage). He used to be hated by the villagers, even the headmen of Tantpura and Bhind (another Indian village) after his decision to play in the cricket match with the British, however the clever reasonings he delivered accompanied by the brave trainings of cricket has drove the hearts of the villagers towards supporting him whole. When asked by the villager’s elders why he acquiesced to the British condition, he replied “The Brits did not leave us a choice. No one was even that strong to pay lagaan, how much more double lagaan…The people don’t have grains to fill coffers, even hungry stomachs. This should not be perceived as a calamity but an opportunity to turn hope into reality.” He is a brave and able man, even being a British captain will not be a license for his submission. He commented hard on the disparaging outlook of the villagers to untouchables, even went far as reprimanding the village doctor and their village chief.
Captain Andrew Russell
He is an arrogant, sadistic and capricious man who wielded the power of life and death over the villages under his jurisdiction. He heads the British cantonment near Champaner and is quite reckless with the political decisions he make. Russell is fond of dares and wagers, always with the object of humiliating Indians and forcing them to adopt British habits. He loves to poach animals (which greatly angered Bhuvan) and picks on Indians when he sets in pissed moods, even went far as killing them. He is the stereotypical evil villain who looks down on people’s capacities, ultimately bringing him into embarrassment. He does political blackmail to maintain that iron fist the cantonment keeps. He highly despises Bhuvan, which started when Bhuvan drove his poached animals to distractions, and intensified when Bhuvan made a matter-of-fact commentary on the British engagement in absurdities such as playing cricket. Because of his decision to cancel lagaan for 3 if the Indians win in the cricket match that will be staged in 3 months, the British Provincial Center expressed their resentment to his political incapacity and “preposterous idea”. They challenged him to pay all the taxes of Champaner and the whole province using the money from his own pocket and pack off to Africa.
Rajah Puran Singhji
He is the governing Rajah of Champaner, the faithful village voice of the Indians to the British, albeit not that powerful to influence Captain Russell’s final decisions. The people of Champaner showed great respect for this authority. Their family has protected Champaner for a couple of years now, and even now that the British commanded their authority in the area. He was the one responsible for the canceling of lagaan in 1892, even begged to Captain Russell to cancel double lagaan payment in 1893. Even though he was the Rajah, he wields not the final decisions for Champaner and submits most of the time to the British wants. Easily swayed by political blackmails, in fairness to him - leaves him no choice. He did not forsake his religion even to the point that it will return something of his requests. The eyes of Rajah Puran Singhji longs for freedom and justice for his constituents in Champaner, but he had a weak heart and could not galvanize this desire. He did not extend beyond his comfort zone to create witty rationales that will finally outsmart Captain Russell. When he learned that the double lagan could be cancelled, one can see through his judgement that he wants the people to emerge victorious, as he is also pained by the circumstances they are in.
Gauri
The young and perky village girl, who dreams of marrying Bhuvan, the man she loves the most. She dreams of living in a home with a Neem tree in the courtyard, a big field in the side of it with 2 cows, 1 pair of oxen, and 3 goats. She is jealous of Elizabeth and Bhuvan’s closeness and gets emotional when she is being overlooked by Bhuvan. She was the first to express his support for Bhuvan and has not faltered since in supporting Bhuvan’s desire after that night (most seen by her cooking for food during the team’s practices at a barren hill near Champaner). She loves fortune telling, even believed what Ghuran said about putting henna on her hands and wedding bangles for this year.
Elizabeth Russell
She is the good natured sister of Captain Andrew Russell, a complete contradiction of his malevolence. Her attachment to the Indians started when she saw Bhuvan, Ghuran, and the others peering behind a bush to witness a cricket game. She was amused by this “never-give-up” spirit and went that far in helping them, despite her caretaker’s warnings that once the captain knows, trouble is inevitable. Ever morning, he arrives at the designated practice site of the Indians and taught them all about cricket from the dimensions of the playing field, the 3 pirnciples in cricket which are wielding the ball, bowling the ball, and guarding the field, to practicing them the correct cricket moves. When asked by the Bhuvan on her motves to help them given that she is British, she replied “What happened to you was unfair and I wanted to give you a fair chance”. She takes fancy in Bhuvan’s bravado and took enough courage to express her love for him later in the film albeit in English (so Bhuvan can’t understand). Soon enough, her actuations were discovered by the captain, but amidst this adversity, she did not give up the Indians.
Ram Singh
He is the Indian personal assistant of Elizabeth. He is a practical man who never forgets his duties for her and his Indian roots. He was also secretly happy about Elizabeth’s helping of his fellow brothers, but warned her anyway about Captain Russell’s wrath if this is found out. Because Elizabeth could not understand comprehensive Indian language, he does the favor of serving as her interpreter as she conducts cricket game lessons to Bhuvan and his team. She also teaches Elizabeth how to speak basic Indian so that she can be competent herself in dealing with the villagers. She accompanies Elizabeth’s journey to the practice hill, and even to the temple where the village celebrated Vishnu’s birthday feast.
Lakha
He likes Gauri but Gauri has no feelings for him. A scruffed ruggedly looking man who chops wood for a living, one look at him can foretell something is entirely fishy with his motives. He spilled the beans when he told Captain Russell personally that Elizabeth is helping the Indians in cricket. Captain Russell suggested he better join Bhuvan’s team. When he joined, everyone in Bhuvan’s team doubted his malicious intentions because he is known to be a cheater. He expressed his desire to improve in running. Bhuvan accepted him because he has chopped for so long actually gaining strength in the way he holds an axe. Bhuvan also, being mindful of Lakha’s unpredictability said “For the whiteys, it may only be a game, but for us it is our life”.
Mai
She is the widowed mother of Bhuvan and is always supportive of him in all his endeavors. Bhuvan highly respects his mother and promised her to take a bride her mother loves. She shows deep concern for the village and was one with them in praying for the monsoon to bring rain at last to their parched lands.
Isar Kaka
He is the father of Gauri, who is also the village brahman physician. He was one of those angered by Bhuvan’s decision to play cricket against the British but was won over when Bhuvan coaxed the whole village with a song in the night. He turned out to be one of those faithful members who protects the integrity of Bhuvan’s character and the team in general. Although already in his middle adulthood, he expressed lack of sound judgment when he sided with the castes system rule of not intermingling with the untouchable but was hit by Bhuvan’s wisdom that his medical books did not license him to exclude the socially excluded from treatment. Isar Kaka admires Bhuvan’s courageous stand in life.
Bagha
He was one of Bhuvan’s cricket team players, and is principally the village temple’s mute drum roller. His first appearance marked an expectant character who drums for nimbus cloud formation (but disappointed when the clouds only passed Champaner). He is physically built but quite childish in his dealings. He is loyal to Bhuvan’s dreams and never gives up in practicing polishing his part in the cricket team.
Deva Singh Sudhi
He was once a soldier for the British cantonment, but he left after he was maltreated and saw the disparaging actuations of the British against the Indians. He joined Bhuvan’s cricket team after watching them practice. When asked by Bhuvan what his motives for joining are, he said “I wanted to fight the British maybe not through swords or guns but through bat and ball”.
Kachra
He is an arm-paralyzed untouchable who lived at the outskirts of Champaner near the practice site of the cricket team. One day, an outbound ball landed at his space after Bhuvan’s attempt to catch it. When Bhuvan requested him to throw the ball back at him, he amazingly did so actually spinning it. Bhuvan decide that he will be the 11th and the last player of the team. This was oppose by the conservative village. But Bhuvan defended his right and reverted the village thwarted views on the castes system as a means to disenfranchise people towards social acceptance. His rhetoric later on won the village’s chief decisions to include the untouchable. Kachra was immensely happy; even shed tears after Bhuvan’s statements and his touching of him amidst culture restriction. Although physically handicapped, his limp hand turned into one of the team’s secret weapons (he invents spin bowling). The scene of his acceptance into the team, championed by Bhuvan against the initial opposition of everyone else, is both moving and anachronistic, prefiguring by decades Gandhi’s efforts.
