Three Idiots: a review

 

It was a Christmas evening, and Three Idiots was running in the local cinema hall, a place where I have not been since that torture named Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi came out. Time was for a change, time was ripe for a movie concentrating on the Indian mediocre student class to which I proudly belong, time was ripe for a movie to come out where there was not a single hero, but characters with shades of black and white. Time was ripe for another Dil Chahta Hain, another Dil, Dosti etc. Time was ripe to be disappointed again.

Why the disappointment? Not because the film was a drag, not because there were shades of over-acting, all the actors acted as good as they have ever done, not because I do not like Bolly flicks but, throughout the riot of laughter, there was something missing.

The first thing about the movie that attracted me was that it was based on a novel, very much liked by all of us, an author’s best work, a novel which appealed to everyone, because all of us has experienced such moments. But, they said, the movie was loosely based, and by that, we generally understand that, they change the realities of the characters, but then do not change the characters themselves. It was a strange case here, the situations were the same, the men facing were different. But then, it was not potent enough to make a bad impression, for there was a chance to find an entirely new story, in the familiar premise.

How many times have you seen Aamir Khan the college boy, who speaks fast, is apparently brash, but does sweet things win over the girls heart, how many times have you listened to the line “Jab Pyar hota hain, tab Hawa chal jata hain” and then seen the lady’s hair fly in the moment when Pyar apparently begins. How many times have you watched a movie where an underdog wins everything, and how many times have you seen a type casted teacher, and that Golmal moustache gag, the nose interfering with kiss. This is what is wrong. Most of what you shall see has been seen over and over by you somewhere else.  They are all brought together here, and all shall make you laugh again because of the wonderful reproduction, but then, that is nothing new. That is not something that made you wait for the movie.

Furthermore, the movie never evolves from the bolly formula hero wonderfully good, able to take any challenge, able to commit sacrifices like ram, and yet beat Ravana when he is exiled for 14 years. All find a part in the story. And writing about it makes me feel unwell.

You shall enjoy the movie, perhaps, if you have a forgetful mind, if you can laugh at the same joke over and over again with the same enthuse, if a world beater of a hero is OK with you, if you like characters black and white and if you are child. Otherwise, write a review and take down those idiots who feel they are good enough to act as a college student when they are past 40 and manage to hog the limelight while doing so.

 

Thank you.