Name: 12th Fail (2023)
Genre: Biography, Drama
Released: 2023-10-27
Rating: 7.7
Cast: Vikrant Massey, Priyanshu Chatterjee, Harish Khanna, Medha Shankr, Anant V Joshi

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12th Fail will be directed by Vidhu Vinot Chopra and will feature Vikrant Massey in the lead role. It is inspired by true events revolves around the story of Manoj Kumar Sharma, a village boy from an impoverished background who fails in his 12th standard exams. Yet with his passion, he becomes an IPS officer.

12th Fail (2023)

Times of India

India Today

NDTV

The inspiring story of an IPS officer who failed class 12 exams, did odd jobs, slept for just three hours each night, and started over four times to clear the UPSC exams.

Clearing the coveted Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exams is not for the weak, whether in academics or conviction. This makes Manoj Kumar Sharma's (Vikrant Massey) story extraordinary. The boy from a village in Chambal, Madhya Pradesh, flunks his 12th exams after the new DPS, Dushyant Singh (Priyanshu Chatterjee), prevents the teachers from enabling students to cheat in the 'borad' (board) exams. Manoj clears the following year in the third division and reaches Delhi to appear for the Civil Services examination. He has the fire but not the academic acumen to make it, so much so that he's not even aware there's such a thing as the UPSC or the IPS profile. The story follows Manoj and how he juggles menial jobs to survive while realising his dream, with his mentor (Anshumaan Pushkar), friends, and girlfriend Shraddha Joshi's (Medha Shankar) support.
Every track in the film is a story in itself — from Manoj's misled youth where he doesn't know the right from the wrong to his struggles and restarting from zero each time. The viewer feels involved in Manoj's success or failure. As the tension mounts when he goes for the final leg (the interview), silent pauses and the ambient sound makes you hold your breath, too.
The narrative flows easily as it harks back to legends such as APJ Kalam and BR Ambedkar's call to his followers: 'Educate, agitate, organise.' The movie also subtly touches upon why corrupt politicians want the youth to stay unintelligent — so they can be suppressed and ruled.
Vikrant Massey handles a demanding role and character arc with great aplomb. He does justice to the character at every turn — whether he’s agitated, helpless or determined to turn the tide in his favour. Priyanshu Chatterjee shines in his brief role as the DCP, whose honesty is his bravery. His prowess as a performer is evident in the scene where he meets Manoj as his superior. His reaction is a mix of respect for a senior and pride for inspiring a young man to choose the right path. As Manoj's parents, Geeta Agrawal Sharma and Harish Khanna deserve mention for their nuanced performances.
'12th Fail' is top-class and a must-watch that will leave you impressed and inspired through almost every scene of its 147 minutes. Full marks to Chopra for ensuring he gets the best out of every character in the movie.

Manoj as a character is such an idealist that Vikrant somehow seems like the best fit for the role. Massey has delivered his career best as Manoj. There is a thin line between being an idealist and pretending to be one, Massey treads carefully and doesn’t overplay his role even once. There is a sense of innocence-like-quality to Manoj, who doesn’t know anything better. He grew up with his idealist father, so it is no rocket-science to see Manoj has this ‘steel-like-confidence. Vikrant shoulders the entire film on his own, which is commendable. He doesn’t lose touch with Manoj even once, and there is absolutely no way to stop harping about his acting prowess.
Medha Shankar as Shraddha, Manoj’s partner, has a defined part as well. She is the crutch that helps with lighter moments in the film. The narrative remains engaging, without becoming preachy or monotonous. Chopra also explores different aspects of our education system through the stories of other characters, such as Manoj's friend Pandey and his mentor Gauri Bhaiya.

Chopra's dialogues are simple yet impactful, highlighting the harsh realities that students face, the corrupt system, and the challenges that come with pursuing education and power. Despite confronting these issues, the film consistently upholds the essence of determination and conviction.
‘12th Fail’ also has a unique way of using music to take its story forward. The background score adds an emotional value to the visuals in a way which is organic. There are times when you hear ‘restart’ in BG and it only makes you want to hum along. That’s the impact. You will see yourself rooting for Manoj, for the underdogs!

‘12th Fail’ is a must-watch!

An atta chakki (gristmill) stands out in Vidhu Vinod Chopra's 12th Fail. It serves as a potent, if tangential, metaphor for the gruelling grind that the hard-to-crack Indian Civil Services examinations entails. But there is much, much more to the biographical drama enlivened by inspired directorial touches.
A realistic and restrained adaptation of a book of the same name, the film centres on a young man, a struggling Hindi medium student, who makes the journey from a lawless Chambal village to the top echelons of the police force, inevitably hitting many a daunting roadblock on the way.

The decrepit structure that houses the grain-grinding mill is dark, dispiriting and filled with flour-dust. It is here that the protagonist finds employment as he doubles down to the task of bracing himself for a make-or-break exam.
12th Fail, at times tender and heart-breaking, at others hard-nosed and clear-eyed, is a simple film with a direct message: just as much as anything else that keeps the nation ticking, India needs upright bureaucrats and policemen.

In the worldview that the screenplay talks up, it isn't larger-than-life crusading officers of the kind that Indian commercial cinema is particularly fond of who hold sway. 12th Fail celebrates rooted, public-minded men and women who swear by the Constitution and are brave enough to go the distance in protecting the principles that it enshrines.

Listen to the latest songs, only on JioSaavn.com
Vidhu Vinod Chopra extracts fine performances from his cast, with Vikrant Massey and Medha Shankar occupying the centrestage with aplomb. All the major and minor supporting actors, taking the cue from the film itself, are always on the ball.

At a time when it is routine for Bollywood to make a completely hash of films inspired by true stories and real-life achievers, 12th Fail is a gentle little film that stays true to its purpose and strikes out hard in all the right directions

12th Fail - Official Trailer | Vidhu Vinod Chopra | In Cinemas Worldwide 27th October, 2023

12th Fail Official Teaser | Vidhu Vinod Chopra | Vikrant Massey | 27th October 2023

Vikrant Massey is an Indian actor who appears in Hindi television, Hindi films and web series. He made his acting debut with the role of Aamir Hassan in Dhoom Machaao Dhoom and became a household name with his roles of Dharam in Dharam Veer, Murli Laal in Baba Aiso Varr Dhoondo and Ayaan Ahmed Khan in Qubool Hai.

Vikrant Massey

Known for his works in Hindi and Bengali cinema, Priyanshu Chatterjee is an actor who debuted with the film Tum Bin in the year 2001. Before entering into films, Chatterjee was a fashion model who worked for various lifestyle brands. Some of his best known Bollywood films include Dil ka Rishta, Pinjar and Bhootnath.

12th Fail (2023)

12th Fail (2023)(2023)

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