There are only a handful of movies in Bollywood that you can watch. 12th Fail is one of those rare gems. The story is depicted in such a way that it relates to each one of us at different levels. Though I have not been part of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examinations, I can still relate to the struggle of failing and getting up once again. I did my engineering twice, one for mechanical at the undergraduate level and another for computers at the graduate level despite poor performance in the 12th exams. So, the tyranny of 12th exams is still vivid in my memories.
I always believed that exams are the worst judge of human intelligence. But, in a populous country like India, where the filter system is the only option, this becomes a necessary evil. Many students in India try to crack UPSC and Provincial Civil Service Examination (PCS) in whatever capacity they can. Most of them get disheartened and delve into other areas but some of them do make it and their joy of becoming an IAS or IPS officer is immensely satisfying.
The movie 12th Fail is based on the 2019 non-fiction book written by Anurag Paathak about the real-life story of Manoj Kumar Sharma who overcame extreme poverty and became an Indian Police Service officer. The story unfolds very realistically and shows us what most of us don’t see. The struggle of a person in living an extreme poverty life in a village and how he manages to come out to prepare for something he is unaware of. The transition from his village life to Mukharjee Nagar, Delhi is shown in a manner that appears very realistic. The place, Mukharjee Nagar, is known and famous for those who aspire to become a civil servant. The place is filled with many coaching centers. Some are frauds which is not very uncommon and only a handful of them do actually help students to crack the toughest exam in India. The movie does highlight this detail.
Most movies shine because of extraordinary storyline or if it contains some violence but to portray a simple life story without all that is immensely difficult for an actor and director. The story relies heavily on the personality of the character Manoj and his attitude towards life. His reluctance to give up and continue trying is inspiring for many students. The adaptation done by Vidhu Vinod Chopra is in itself a craft. Vikrant Massey who plays the role of Manoj Kumar Sharma, effortlessly brings the character to life. It’s like Vikrant’s second nature is acting. He has already given us good performances in web series and other movies but I think this would be his best ever.
The realistic portrayal in the movie makes you feel that you are also present with the characters in the moment and therefore pushes you to complete the journey of Manoj Kumar till he becomes a civil servant. There is no dry moment in the story and the direction and acting keeps you glued to the screen till the very end. I hope we will be able to see many more movies in the future that show simple life and non-violent stories with such finesse.