This blog is movie Review of movie 12th Fail, Directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. This blog is in response to the task given by Dilip Barad sir. In this blog I am going to write some Points which i have noticed during movie Screening of this movie.
Here is a Link of that Blog as well where you can see all attachment of articles and videos based on this Movie:- https://drashtijoshi.blogspot.com/2024/01/movie-screening-of-12th-fail-film.html
12th Fail: Film Review and Comparative Study
Here are some Points to Ponder on that I am going to write my Blog:-
1. Introduction:
- Begin with a captivating introduction that sets the tone for your review.
- Briefly introduce the film, providing necessary details about its background.
- Apply relevant literary and film studies theories to analyze the cinematic elements of the film.
- Discuss how the film aligns with or challenges these theoretical frameworks.
- Place the film within broader discourses, such as its implications in the education system, government jobs, cultural context, or its reflection of youth aspirations.
- Explore the socio-cultural relevance of the film.
- Conduct a thematic study, delving into the core themes of the film.
- Analyze how these themes contribute to the overall narrative and societal commentary.
- Compare the film with a similar one from a different culture, time, nation, or regional language.
- Highlight similarities, differences, and the cultural significance of each.
- Summarize your key observations and insights from the review.
- Conclude with your overall assessment of the film's impact and relevance
Introduction:-
The recently released inspirational drama film depicts the incredible journey of a small-town boy striving to become an IPS officer despite all odds stacked against him. Set in the dusty bylanes of rural India, the film sheds light on the real struggles faced by aspirants from humble backgrounds who dream of cracking the prestigious UPSC exams. Through the protagonist Manoj's story, it provides a raw and realistic glimpse into the world of India's civil service aspirants. This movie is Adaptation of book with the same name "12th fail" it was written by Anurag Pathak. I have read that book as well. There are many differences in film and book.
The movie faces criticism for its monologue and exposition problems, with characters being introduced based on their righteousness, and the love story between Manoj and Shraddha feeling rushed and convenient. (Tyagi)
Theoretical Framework:
There are so many loop holes one can find while watching movie. like there are many frames as well to study. Hare are some frames which I have noticed during Film Screening.
1. Beginning of Film and Book:-
when we look at the Beginning of the both of the thing like movie and book both are different. Film start with Long drone shot where object is small.
In the book it is very different like it began like Manoj is reading loudly because there where ladies out there and they can hear him, so he was aggerating this.
2. Frame of Grandmother and Gun:-
Another very interesting frame is when that person come to give letter of Manoj's Father's Suspension his Grandmother was saying ,"Nikal bandhuk(Gun Out)"... Here is a Picture of that Frame.
This Represent Power Dimension of Manoj Sharma's Cast. Like he is a Sharma so he is from upper cast and he has weapon in his house and it give them power to talk about honesty and all.
There is One Article which also focuses on same thing, this Article is focuses on if Manoj was Dalit?:-(Satkar)
What is it? We can call It as a Caste privilege because he was getting help from everywhere. If the Character had been a Dalit, would he/she have gotten this help instantly? No. It is hard for a Dalit to get the kind of help that Manoj Sharma in the Movie was getting. Does the main character of the movie face discrimination because of his Caste in School? Did he drop out of School because of Caste discrimination and Humiliation? Does he get beaten because of his Caste? Faced Humiliated because of his Caste? Does Manoj’s Father get Humiliated because of his Caste? Do Manoj’s father and his forefather put human excrement on his head? Does Manoj not allowed to mingle with others because of his Caste? Did he have to hide his Father’s Surname in School and college because of his Caste? Did his Mother got Humiliated Because of her Caste? This was the Caste privilege of the hero in the Movie, who doesn’t have to go through all this that what a Dalit Aspirant goes through. This is the Caste privilege That Manoj Sharma in the Movie got, and he got help from everyone whom he met.
That is the Caste privilege, Which Caste Privileged people haven’t acknowledged yet. This movie does not show the hidden privileges that he was getting because of his Caste. In this Movie, it is shown that Manoj gets a Chance to give an interview twice; if he had been a Dalit, he would not have gotten the chance to face an interview twice.
We don’t decide in which home we will take birth, but at least the unseen privileges which a person who is born in a Caste Which is regarded as superior in a Society, at least they should acknowledge that privilege; it is crucial that they reflect on the advantages they have and acknowledge the disparities faced by Dalits, Recognizing privilege is a crucial step towards fostering a more equitable Society, Dalits did nothing to deserve the Unequal treatment which happens with them daily. The Onus is not on Dalits to make a Casteless Society; The Onus is on the Castes Who enjoyed the privilege of their Caste since ages.
Another Article is based on Privilege of caste:-
Sharma performs poorly at the interview stage of the competitive exams. But he is still given another chance. Does that happen? And to whom? It makes you question the motives and biases of the members on the interview board. The film doesn’t talk about the social composition of the board, but I am curious. This kind of favor is not easy to get. As a third-generation individual, Sharma struggled to comprehend simple English. Despite this, the interview board was sympathetic to him. All India civil services officers are not selected like that. This was the biggest miracle that happened in the movie.(Mandal)
3. Frame of 3 People:-
When Movie move further we can see one frame which have 3 Character in one frame, here is a Picture of this Film.
In this frame, you can see a camera placed on a person's shoulder. From this, we can interpret that, in the power dimension, one is merely a spectator of wrongdoing. The person whose shoulder we see can witness the unjust events happening to Manoj's father. He is just a regular observer because he doesn't have the power to resist the force.
4. Power and Government:-
There is one Frame where cops are pawns of Pradhan of village. In this Frame we can see that there is a corrupt men who is in power or in system he was handling all people and Police as well, so that cops arrest Manoj and his brother and their "Jugad(Rickshaw)".
In one frame that all are in one cops, Pradhan's Bus, and their Jugad. We can interpreted this as how people behave when they are in power. In the end that all corrupt men are seating in jugad. Then at that time Manoj was in power.
5. Sound:-
Sound plays vital role in films. When we see film closely we can listen the pure and original sounds of musical instrument like piano, Drum, Flute sound etc. When we see these all scenes we came to know that there is different sound for both Manoj and Shradha like for Manoj there is low and Soothing sound of Instrument which are traditional and old instruments. In Shradha's world there is a Modern Sounds like Piano and other things as well. When we see they come together at that time both sounds merge. Here is a clip where you can see how sound merge. Another scene is when Manoj is Reading Letter by Shraddha at that time also Sound is merged with Traditional and go to Modern Instruments.
6. Shoes as Metaphor:-
when Manoj was giving his Interview and he go with tight shoes there is frame where camera is only focusing his Shoes because before he read shraddha's latter he was very uncomfortable and in fear of interview but after reading that letter and now he knows that if i failed in this shraddha will marry me any which way. So, here he became comfortable and give proper answers to panels and he has that confidence. Here we can interpret that he became Carefree about his job and Shoes used as a Metaphor there.
Contextualization:
In the context of the Indian education system, several issues arise, particularly concerning how the youth is predominantly oriented towards job pursuits. Currently, there is a prevailing sentiment that satisfaction is primarily derived from securing a government job. However, in today's India, we witness instances of individuals who have put in hard work facing challenges, as malpractices such as paper leaks adversely impact those who have earned their achievements through genuine efforts.
By emphasizing the protagonist's rural roots, the film situates itself within ongoing discourses about equitable access to education emerging from small towns and villages. Through Manoj's repeated attempts to clear the UPSC exams, it highlights the limited opportunities and intense competition faced by India's educated youth hailing from vernacular backgrounds. The film also comments on the continuing dominance of English and the regional skew in India's administrative services despite policy measures for inclusion.
Thematic Study:
Some of the prominent themes in the film are the transformative power of education, corruption in the education system, the role of mentors and social capital, as well as ideas of merit versus privilege. The film consistently explores how moral choices, hard work and integrity help Manoj overcome corrupt practices and social divisions. His relationship with the reformed police officer foregrounds the theme of idealism triumphing over cynicism.
There is one article based on this "The Changing Priorities of Education in India: A Worrisome Shift Mirrored in Popular Films and Fictions"(Barad)
The exclusive focus on government job exams brings several negative consequences. Firstly, it fosters a 'herd mentality,' where diverse talents are overlooked as students chase limited posts. Secondly, the intense focus on exam preparation sidelines genuine learning and skill development. Thirdly, neglect of arts, humanities, and vocational subjects occurs as students opt for stereotypical 'safe options.' Finally, the intense competition gives rise to coaching centers, promoting spoon-feeding over self-study. The popular media portrayal of the craze for government jobs underscores the urgent need for educational reforms that prioritize diverse talents and knowledge for its intrinsic value.(Barad)
Comparative Analysis:
In today's era, numerous web series and movies share similar themes with the mentioned movie. For instance, a well-known web series by TVF titled 'Aspirants,' released in 2021, revolves around characters dealing with personal challenges while simultaneously preparing for the UPSC exam. The world of 12th Fail exists in the shadow of TVF’s Aspirants. But while the latter series delved into the motivations of each of its characters, the film’s supporting characters feel stock. There is Anshumaan Pushkar as Gauri, the know-it-all veteran of Mukherjee Nagar, who reminded me of Sandeep bhaiyya from Aspirants. But Gauri only had the skeleton and not the muscle of the popular TVF character.(Bhardwaj)
We can compare this film with film like "Super 30" which focused on how caste of class system work in education. This biographical drama not only celebrates academic excellence but also underscores the transformative power of education in shaping destinies. The film stars Hrithik Roshan as lead.
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The film bears similarities to other memorable films about the UPSC like "Aarakshan". However, the two differ significantly in their gender representations. While Aarakshan focused on upper caste, upper class male protagonists, this film locates its hero in a more diverse social setting.
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Conclusion:
In conclusion, my initial enchantment with the movie was undeniable, but after multiple viewings and engaging in critical thinking, I've identified certain aspects that raise concerns. Having read the original book, I observed significant omissions and additions by the writer and director, Vidhu Vinod Chopra. For instance, scenes involving the grandmother were entirely added by him, and discrepancies in Manoj's educational journey, such as his completion BA in Hindi Literature in Gwalior, differ from the book, where Pande met Manoj in college.
The film predominantly focuses on Manoj's struggle during UPSC preparation, yet a two-hour movie cannot fully capture the entirety of someone's life journey, as depicted in the book. While the film has its merits, these variations from the source material and the limited scope of a feature film raise questions about the thorough portrayal of Manoj's life. Perhaps a more extended format or a series could better justify the nuances present in the original book.
The film presents a stirring narrative of hope and human resilience against a grim social backdrop. While conforming to many conventions of the inspirational drama genre, the film also critiques systemic problems like corruption and discrimination. Its account of small-town aspirations and struggles will resonate with millions of young Indians dreaming of a better future. The film thus makes an important contribution to contemporary discourses around education, employment and inclusive nation-building.
References:-
Bahl, Vikas, director. Super 30. Phantom Films Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment Reliance Entertainment HRX Films, 2019.
Barad, Dilip. “(PDF) The Changing Priorities of Education in India: A Worrisome Shift Mirrored in Popular Films and Fictions.” ResearchGate, 16 November 2023, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/375641812_The_Changing_Priorities_of_Education_in_India_A_Worrisome_Shift_Mirrored_in_Popular_Films_and_Fictions. Accessed 18 January 2024.
Bhardwaj, Kartik. “'12th fail' movie review: Too long a ted talk.” The New Indian Express, 28 October 2023, https://www.newindianexpress.com/entertainment/review/2023/Oct/28/12th-fail-movie-review-too-long-a-ted-talk-2627608.html. Accessed 18 January 2024.
Chopra, Vidhu Vinod, director. 12th Fail. Vinod Chopra Films, 2023.
Jha, Prakash, director. Aarakshan. Base Industries Group Prakash Jha Productions, 2011.
Karki, Apoorv Singh, director. Aspirants. The Viral Fever Media Labs, 2021.
Mandal, Dilip. “12th Fail not about Vikrant Massey's struggles but his caste privilege.” ThePrint, 3 January 2024, https://theprint.in/opinion/12th-fail-isnt-just-about-vikrant-masseys-struggles-its-really-about-his-caste-privilege/1908789/. Accessed 17 January 2024.
“Real-Life Inspiration: Indian Films Based on True Stories | 'Super 30', '12th Fail', 'Mission Raniganj.'” Outlook India, 24 November 2023, https://www.outlookindia.com/art-entertainment/-super-30-to-12th-fail-indian-films-based-on-real-life-stories-that-inspire-news-332692. Accessed 18 January 2024.
Satkar, Shubhangi. “12th fail Movie and Hidden Caste privilege: A Critical Analysis from Dalit Perspective.” दलित टाइम्स (दलित टाइम्स), 15 January 2024, https://dalittimes.in/twelfth-fail-movie-and-hidden-caste-privilege-a-critical-analysis-from-dalit-perspective/. Accessed 17 January 2024.
Tyagi, Sucharita. “12th Fail Movie Review — Sucharita Tyagi | by Sucharita Tyagi | Medium.” Sucharita Tyagi, 27 October 2023, https://sucharitatyagi.medium.com/12th-fail-movie-review-sucharita-tyagi-2aea58e90fd3. Accessed 18 January 2024.
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