No Idiots Here

I see this movie a week after it's release and I'm one of the last to see it. And the 11AM show that I did go for was the only show that wasn't sold out when I went to buy the tickets. The second weekend after it's release and this movie is still going house-full. Unbelievable. For those of you on the other side of the Prime Meridian, I'm talking about the Bollywood blockbuster, Three Idiots.

I'm actually happy that I saw this movie later rather than sooner so that I can speak freely, without the fear of spoiling the fun for any of you. For one, the movie lived up to all the hype and furore that surrounded me this past week. When I walked out of the movie hall, I had a couple of complaints but let me focus on the positives which were very easily the highlight of the film.

The movie was a complete delight to watch especially for someone from India. But I guess it came out a decade too late. A decade earlier, and I'd have the slightest chance of not facing what I did. Anyway, in my opinion, all major characters bring in unforgettable performances. Be it Ranchoddas Shamaldas Chanchad a.k.a. Rancho, played by Aamir Khan and around who the movie revolves or the teenage boy, nicknamed Millimeter, who takes care of the students' supplies; everyone leaves an imprint on your mind. The pressures faced by students in the classroom and the environment at home are brought out very accurately in the process. At the end, it's an impeccable satire on the Indian education system.

Moving on, I couldn't help but notice the blatant plagiarism in some scenes. The description of the astronaut pen and Rancho's reply about the pencil is very old. And the scene where Rancho mixes up Farhan, Raju and his papers with the others after asking the invigilator if he knew who they were has been picked up word for word from a television commercial (Instant Kiwi Lottery). Besides that, let's not even get into the Five Point Someone: What Not to Do at IIT fiasco. Having read the book, I firmly believe that Chetan Bhagat deserved more than just a "Based On A Novel By" microscopic mention at the end.

These elements soured* my experience in the hall but, believe me, the movie is par excellence. A job well done. I concur with Chetan Bhagat when he wonders how Abhijat Joshi and Rajkumar Hirani will pick up Best Writer awards through the new year having done what they did, but let that not keep you from witnessing something special.

*I like OJ.