Three Idiots
What do you get when you take an author like Chetan Bhagat who writes bestsellers, a director like Raju Hirani who directs hit movies like the Munna Bhai series, an actor like Aamir Khan who knows not just how to act but also can teach many MBAs a thing or two about how to market a film to the masses? The answer is 3 Idiots. Be sure to place your bets on this movie winning several awards besides raking in big bucks for the producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra who is laughing all the way to a solvent bank (not affected by recession). 3 Idiots is proof that it is not good enough to make a great film, you also need to market it to engage the viewer early on and perhaps block the share of wallet. Aamir's doodles find their way to a clothing line by Pantaloon and Big Bazar. The online gaming company Zapak has created a game where Aamir Khan is travelling through India and popping up in different disguises in places such as Varanasi, Palanpur or even in Saurav Ganguly's house in Kolkata. Reliance Life Insurance creates an ad blitz over 50 TV channels, 40 radio stations in 250 cities and outdoor hoardings in over 500 towns. The message is the song from the film All is well or should I say "Aall ij well".But then Aall Ijj Naat Well. There is this huge spat happening between Chetan and the trio Vidhu Vinod Chopra/ Raju Hirani/ Aamir Khan combination about what percent of 3 Idiots is based on Chetan's book Five Point Someone. 75% or more says Bhagat. 3%-5% says the trio -making it sound like a debate in a chemistry class about how much Cynaide makes your cup of Potassium Cyanide potent. While I think the VVC/RH/AK combo as well as CB are beneficiaries from the controversy. The sales of the film and the book will go up. BUT... my vote is in support of Chetan. I think it is legitimate to expect the credit to be given to Chetan. It is not about the contract and the technicalities that VVC/RH/AK are hiding behind. They say we have given Chetan credit. Yeah, but putting it in an obscure place at the end of the film with the names of the accountants and second spot boys is just not morally right. C'mon guys, be gracious. Go back and now put it in the opening credits as "Based on the book Five Point Someone by Chetan Bhagat".3 Idiots is a story of three friends in college and their coming of age. The film succeeds in capturing the essence of being a college student in India. The craziness of living in a hostel, bad food, crazy professors are all a potent combination that celluloid has not captured with this skill in years. 3 Idiots does this in a manner that makes the older folks remember their own college days and go gooey with nostalgia while the college kids get a chance to see their lives on screen - complete with crazy nicknames for Profs and friends, chasing girls, the suckup in class "Chatur" , you name it. It makes a star out of every viewer. That is why the film appeals to the masses.In Taare Zameen Par, Aamir exorts parents to let kids be kids and stop living their own failed aspirations through their children. In 3 Idiots, Aamir nudges parents to respect their progeny's career choices. It is better to be a great wildlife photographer and earn less money than to be a terrible engineer, make more money and be miserable. Got to love that thought.The film has almost all the ingredients that spell success in Bollywood - including an over the top story, foot tapping music (by Shantanu Moitra of Parineeta fame); great lyrics by Swanand Kirkire - a lyricist to watch out for. I love the songs. Moitra and Kirkire make a great combo. The retro jazz feel of the song Zoobie Doobie is nice. But I worry if it is an original, knowing Shantanu Moitra's track record (pun intended). He has been known to be "inspired" before - as they say in Bollywood. Kaisi Paheli from the film Parineeta was a straight lift from A Kiss To Build A Dream On by Louis Armstrong. His song Pal Pal was a straight lift from Cliff Richard's Theme for a Dream. I only wish he would repeat the original music that he did for the non-film album Abke Saawan. So while I love the songs of 3 Idiots, I worry that someday I will discover that the ones I love are "inspired". I worry...What's the weak link in the film? Oh yeah, eye candy Kareena wears specs in this film to tell you that she wants you to remember her for acting skills. That's tough given that her role in almost a size zero. And pray WHEN will middle aged men aka Aamir Khan (Madhavan and Sharman Joshi included and a zillion other actors) stop playing college going twenty somethings in films. You mean there are no real twenty somethings who can act in films? Reality show producers, here's the idea for the next mega show - Kaun Banega College Student. The story line has some hard to believe elements like the childbirth sequence and a convoluted case about Aamir Khan's identity. Since Indian audience does not flinch when the heroine changes her dress with every stanza of a song, 3 Idiots does not do anything as incredulous. But close enough. We are like that only.Overall rating : *** out of *****