12th Fail Movie Review!(Hotstar)
Movie Name: 12th Fail
Release Date: March 4, 2024
Cast: Vikrant Massey, Medha Shankar, Anant V Joshi, Anshumaan Pushkar, Priyanshu Chatterjee
Director: Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Producer: Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Music: Shantanu Moitra
Banner: Vinod Chopra Films
Initial Release: October 27, last year
Streaming Started: December 29
Among the recent movies from Bollywood, one has been the talk of the town for many days, ’12th Fail.’ Based on the life story of IPS officer Manoj Kumar, this film has been crafted by director-producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra. The film was released in theaters on October 27, 2023, and made available for streaming from December 29. Until yesterday, the movie was streaming only in Hindi but now it has also become available in Telugu and other languages.
The narrative kicks off in 1997, featuring Manoj Kumar (Vikrant Massey) from the Chambal region, which is considerably underdeveloped due to local conditions. His family consists of his parents, a brother, a sister, and his grandmother, with his father Ram Veer (Harish Khanna) being the sole breadwinner through a modest job. However, due to the corruption of a local MLA and his supporter, Ram Veer gets suspended, complicating the family’s survival.
12th Fail Movie Review
To fight for justice regarding his suspension, Ram Veer heads to the city, necessitating the rest of the family to work harder. Manoj Kumar, hoping to run an auto-rickshaw with his brother, finds his efforts thwarted by the MLA. During these struggles, Manoj Kumar encounters DSP Dushyant (Priyanshu Chatterjee), whose integrity inspires him to become a police officer himself, a dream that quickly becomes his aspiration.
With the support of his grandmother, who provides him with some saved money to head to the city, Manoj Kumar faces numerous challenges in Delhi, including losing his bag upon arrival, which makes it difficult for him to feed himself and find shelter.
His dream of becoming an IPS officer leads him to take up various jobs, including cleaning washrooms, while also managing to study in whatever little time he has.
During these hardships, he meets Shraddha Joshi (Medha Shankar), towards whom he develops an affection that soon turns into love. However, as he is about to confess his feelings, she moves away, leaving him with no one to share his sorrow.
Returning to his village, he learns of his grandmother’s death, which brings him to tears. A newfound resolve to succeed for the sake of those who are waiting for his success takes hold of him.
With only one chance left to become an IPS officer, Manoj Kumar returns to Delhi with greater determination, facing and overcoming numerous challenges. The movie portrays the true story of IPS officer Manoj Kumar, inspired by a book written by Anurag Pathak, based on his life.
At one point, Manoj Kumar fails his 12th grade, which becomes a turning point in his life, thus giving the movie its title. The director focuses on Manoj Kumar’s struggles and his triumph over them, drawing the audience closer to the authenticity of rural life, the protagonist’s unwavering focus on his goals despite distractions, and his adherence to the integrity learned from his father, serving as an inspiration to the current generation.
The movie captivates viewers, making them feel as if they are living the protagonist’s struggles, especially during the emotional climax scene. The performances by the cast are deeply engaging, with the background score by Shantanu and cinematography by Ramabhadran adding significant depth to the narrative.
The movie highlights how poverty is the main enemy in life, with other challenges being its allies. Fighting against them while reaching one’s goals is immensely difficult, a theme that resonates deeply in this victorious tale that moves and provokes thought among the youth.
12th Fail Movie Review: Behind the scenes
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