12th Fail (2023) – 9/10 – Genuine, no-nonsense story of perseverance and not giving up
’12th Fail’ is an Indian film from one of my favorite Bollywood writers, Vidhu Vinod Chopra. He occasionally directs, but I think he is a better writer than a director (he did both for this film, and both great). He has a reputation for creating outside-the-box films in a genuine, no-nonsense manner. It’s refreshing to see talented writers like him focus on honesty, sensibility, and realism in a Bollywood that is known for the exact opposite. Films like these are what cinema should be about, no matter where it originates or who makes it.
This film is based on a true story about a student, Manoj Kumar Sharma, wanting to turn things around for the better in a country filled with corruption and bribery. His father was an honest policeman suspended for hitting a corrupt cop, fighting the system in the courts. In the meantime, Sharma’s family is suffering from poverty, so he and his brother start a rickshaw business, driving people back and forth for money. They have a dispute with one of the corrupt mayor’s thugs. They get thrown in jail over a false accusation. Sharma, being a junior, gets released, and he seeks help from the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), who frees them both from the corrupt policemen. Sharma decides to become someone powerful and also serve with honesty, like the DSP and his father. The film shows his journey and perseverance through one of the hardest exams in the world – UPSC. 200,000 Indians attempt it annually, and only 30 people become Indian Police Service officers after 3 rounds of exams.
The brilliant writing, authentic acting, on-point directing, and cinematography are great. Bollywood films often have poor editing, resulting in scenes that drag on. Not here. The editing is very well done. The film went through 200 rewrites before the final product, which tells me special care went into this. Ultimately, it’s a film about not giving up. I think the easiest thing one can do in life is to give up. One needs raw guts, determination, and willpower to fight in life, especially when the odds are stacked against them.
Would I recommend this? Yes. The acting, the storytelling, and the reflection of realism awed me. Dreams don’t come true by themselves. They are in vain until you apply dedication, utmost effort, and time to realize them.
