12th Fail movie review: Vikrant Massey shines in this underdog story bolstered by Vidhu Vinod Chopra's conviction

Cast: Vikrant Massey, Medha Shankr, Anshumaan Pushkar, Anant Vijay Joshi, Geeta Agarwal

Director: Vidhu Vinod Chopra 

Language: Hindi

Vidhu Vinod Chopra seems to have a sharp eye when it comes to the education system of our country. He knows how to tell stories about struggles and successes, and juice them up with the right mix of drama and tension. The background music he uses helps the narrative by blending seamlessly into the proceedings, this particularly applies to the films he has produced. But he also knows when to stun with silences. Take the example of 3 idiots, the thunderous beats of the All Is Well number, quickly followed by the suicide of Joy (Ali Fazal).

And then, take the example of his new directorial 12th Fail, starring Vikrant Massey in the lead role. The film is based on the book of the same name by Anurag Pathak, which chronicles the inspiring and moving journey of IPS Manoj Kumar Sharma. The driving force is the never give up attitude, or in the words of the film, #Restart. The makers use hashtag since this is a severely social media- obsessed generation. In one crucial scene, when Massey’s character discovers he has failed in his 12th standard, his tears are enough to convey the emotional emptiness, and his defeat is showcased through silences. These are moments that don’t allow you to react, hence the looming lull.

Yes, this is an underdog story, just like Super 30 and Chhichhore, which were also sourced from real life people and incidents. But the lines are not your usual Hindi film dialogues that reek of pretense, they smell of everydayness we encounter in our daily routines. There are some dramatic confrontations, especially the one between Massey and a police officer. He warns him of the consequences and says with a booming voice he hails from Chambal and will get him suspended once he comes an IPS.

The moment Massey utters these lines, we wait for the moment when he will crack his UPSC. The journey is anything but smooth, but he has the support of his family and the girl he passionately loves (a sure-footed Medha Shankr). Massey is an actor who doesn’t have to rely on anything external to convey his emotions, he knows the craft of reacting well by now. And with a story like this, filled with pathos, it’s as meaty as it can get. And he chews the character with relish, and so does almost everyone else.

12th Fail does feel familiar, you do get a sense of seeing all this before to different people in different ways, situations, and circumstances. But how do you make something different about failure and the success that follows? And why even bother?

Rating: 3 (out of 5 stars)

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