Does British animated film Early Man remind you of Aamir Khan’s Lagaan?

The seventh film from British studio Aardman, Early Man (2018), opened in its home country on 26 January 2018. The animated film features the voices of British artistes Eddie Redmayne, Tom Hiddleston and Maisie Williams.

The synopsis of the film reads: 'Set at the dawn of time, when prehistoric creatures and woolly mammoths roamed the earth, Early Man tells the story of how plucky caveman Dug, along with sidekick Hognob, unites his tribe against the mighty Bronze Age in a battle to beat them at their own game.'

What game does the story refer to? A viewing of the trailer shows the denizens of the Bronze Age enjoy a game of football. Those cavemen still living in the Stone Age, led by Dug (voice of Redmayne), who want to save their tribe and retain control of their valley, take them on in a football match.

Sounds familiar? In Lagaan (2001), a plucky Bhuvan, played by actor-producer Aamir Khan, unites his village Champaner to fight the British at their favourite sport, an unfamiliar game called cricket. If they win, Champaner’s taxes are to be pardoned for the next three years. If they lose, they will have to pay three times the amount.

A sympathetic Englishwoman Elizabeth (Rachel Shelley) helps the villagers with the sport.

In Early Man, they have to learn football and win to get back their valley. If they lose, they must spend the rest of their lives working in a mine. Goona (voice of Williams), a female character from the other side, helps the Stone Agers to get to know the game better.

What do you think? Do the two films have any similarities? Watch the trailers below and compare.