3 Idiots (Hirani, 2009)

[sulphurhead]

I hear it's loosely based on Chetan Bhagat's First (and in my opinion best) novel - Five point someone.

[kaytee]

I might watch it if I can get tickets. The reviews are pretty decent so far on Twitterverse.

[shariqq]

I'll watch it for the Hirani. Can't give a shit about Aamir Khan.

[kaytee]

Yes watch it fir Hirani, even though more publicity is being given to Aamir Khan, each Idiot gets enough coverage. Boman Irani is brilliant as the dean of the college. Like Hirani's previous movies this one too gives a pretty solid message that while watching gives you a lump in your throat. The movie is funny, moving, entertaing and a bit too far fetched but that is something that I can let slide when the whole package is good.

[spoiler]
ps.- I cringed at the baby delivery scene which would easily spoil the movie for you coz Hirani goes into Priyadarshan mode where anything and everything is possible.[/spoiler]

[shariqq]

Wow. You've fortified. I've loved how simple Raju Hirani's previous two movies were - they seem very "nice", yet very mature. My report on this as soon as I get to watch it - hopefully sometime this week.

[ak]

Kaytee, what is this "message" in the movie that you speak of? Use the spoiler tag; I want to know.

[kaytee]

[spoiler]Well the movie takes a lot of jabs on the whole education system in India and the pressure among students to score the highest marks which has lead to suicide among students. It preaches that the teachers and the system must change for the better. Competition by putting up the whole schools marks on a white board for everyone to read/check is creating more fear among students and acting as a hindrance to the actual learning process.

Another strong message which it gives is for students to do what they really love or have a passion for no matter how unorthodox it may be. Parents from rural areas still have the fixation with their kids being doctors and engineers, but that needs to change and the movie champions that notion pretty strongly.[/spoiler]

[ak]

Thanks.

[ayaa1977]

3 Idiots was a riot for me, and the main reason I enjoyed it so much was Aamir Khan, who is by far the most reliable superstar in Bollywood nowadays. I had my suspicion going into the film and it is mainly because he is playing a character that is 20 years old less than half his actual age. That bothered me going into the film but that lasted just a few minutes, because from the scene we are introduced to Aamir's Rancho I knew that I shouldn't hang into this "minor" detail for long. The man is a giant, he is magnetic whom you can't take your eyes of him, he is a short little man but boy does he has a presence.

The film is not about him only, in fact a good chunk of the film we don't even see him, and the story written in a way that gives the other players a chance to shine, this is to the credit of the story, the filmmakers and to Mr. Khan who demonstrated before that his ego is not so inflated to the point that he can't share the glory. He did it before in Dil Chahta Hai, Rang De Basanti, and he even took the backseat for a child in Taare Zameen Par. I think Sharman Joshi and Madhavan were great in their roles, they too has a charisma that shines through, and I think young Joshi has a great career ahead of him. Kareena Kapoor did fine in her small role, and to the film credit, the romance was a side plot point and it didn't get on the way. It was a film about friendship in its core and I am a sucker for those kinda of films. Boman Irani was the only one who came close to be a match to Aamir Khan, he is just amazing as the kinda sorta villain of the film, he was just hilarious. It is even better than his role in another Hirani super hit where he also play the villain, Munnabhai M.B.B.S. And while I'd still prefer Munnabhai over 3 Idiots, I can recognize how masterful is Mr. Rajkumar Hirani when it comes to comedy, he just make great Masala comedies that has a decent message, and the good thing about this message is that it is not so overtly displayed, or shoved down your throat, they are rather subtle and well integrated in the plot of the film.

The film is not flawless, it ran way too long, losing 30-45 min of it is not really such a bad idea. The baby delivery stunt at the end is really ridiculous and pointless, and the songs are bland and unmemorable aside from "Aal Izz Well". That being said, I still think the film is highly entertaining and I would give it 3.5/5.     

[safra23]

This movie is something you would totally enjoy, the movie was a complete laugh riot, alot of people from the current generation who have gone through the university recently or are currently in college/university now will relate to the movie.

There are some scenes which are bit too over the top and in some places, a little too melodramaticl, the songs were ok. The friendship bond was shown as the core of this movie and it held on to that throughout the entire movie which was nice to see. All 3 actors got equal camera space and their complete story was told without the need to hurry through or cut short their story. Most people felt that the character of Boman Irani had that touch of his role in the first Munnabhai, but I felt it also was similar to Amithabh Bachan's principal role in Mohabbatein.

One more thing though, the movie did also feel like an ad for all the sponsors of the movie, starting with Air India, the Samsung mobile, the Reliance wireless connection, Volvo, the hospital, the scooter etc, it was a little too obvious.

My rating --> 4.5/5 

[ayaa1977]

One more thing though, the movie did also feel like an ad for all the sponsors of the movie, starting with Air India, the Samsung mobile, the Reliance wireless connection, Volvo, the hospital, the scooter etc, it was a little too obvious.

My rating --> 4.5/5 

Yeah products placement sometimes is too shameless and on the nose.

[shariqq]

As much as people are lamenting the movie's greatness, I thought it was just slightly above mediocre. And Aamir Khan - whatever you say, look past his "aura" and realize it - he is 40-something. And it shows.

3 Idiots and Avatar are step-sisters going through the same phenomenon.

[sandeep]

3 IDIOTS
 
Much can be expected from the Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Raj Kumar Hirani brand of entertainment, with the Munna Bhai series as definite milestones.
 
First things first, 3 Idiots is 'loosely based' on Chetan Bhagat's novel, 5 point someone, and is not a rip off of the story, confirms a friend who has read the novel many times and can identify the few scenes which are similar.
 
What 3 Idiots achieves, is a lot more than 'buddy comedy' and a lot more than preachy statements on the current state of our society by caricature-like characters (hint Madhur Bhandarkar). The story here seems real, the situations demand the plot to move in the pace it does and the acting by all is phenomenal.
 
3 Idiots is a direct response to the way Indian society views education, learning, the importance of performance, high marks, getting into a good college and of course, the choice of career. More when you watch the film!
 
The performances! Aamir is a talented individual, who is part of an ensemble cast. Everyone together makes the film work. No one actor carries the film on his shoulder, but yes, Aamir is a central character. Sharman Joshi is getting better with every film, Madhavan has a smaller role with a few effective scenes. Boman has made it his territory to change his entire body language, appearance, speech and deliver startling performances (recent film Well Done Abba). Kareena has a shorter, but sincere role which she does well. She seems to be finding herself and is more comfortable doing characters rather than just being Kareena in a film. The highlight of the film is Omi (who is superb), a character the less said about, the better. You have to watch this one to enjoy it!
 
Direction is great, locales are beautiful, amazing music and a tight script (with one long scene that pushes it a bit), this film is the entertainer of 2009 and has crossed the 100 Crore Rupees (in 13 days!) mark for a reason!
 
4/5

[fizz]

There is little that is valiant or truly remarkable about 3 idiots. Sold as a comedy to audiences, it masquerades as a public service announcement about parental pressure on students and their alienated approach to academic education in the most unremarkably maudlin manner possible. The first half is strong (or stronger) because it is more toned towards being a comedy, but the second half is a sapfest, with as many as six different scenes, all back to back, featuring at least one (sometimes all) of the cast members teary eyed, crying or bawling out. The film deals with issues in a trivializing manner - there are suicides and a coma, but these are brushed upon with such simplistic ease, it defies believability. Sensationalism, that staple ingredient of the Bollywood masala hit machine, is unabashedly and unashamedly on full display. Characters change their points of view instantly (father accepts son becoming wildfire photographer after some macho crying and hugging,  woman is willing to ditch her fiancé after a 30 second demo into his true nature etc).

The film doesn't claim to provide any real answers to its questions either which is fine in the name of slapstick entertainment, but I wish the lapses into seriousness (that absurd pregnancy scene serving as deux ex machina was beyond ridiculous) would have been kept at bay. The character of Amir Khan (he undeniably plays it well here, convincing even) is Jesus, Che and McGyver all rolled into one; he is made so incredible that all the mortals around him pale in comparison (this is the tinkering of the screenplay, there is very little in the way of believability). All the baddies are completely bad (University principal, girls husband to be, the arch nemesis to the 3 Idiots) though the film’s structure keeps you guessing and watching, while the beautiful scenery of Shimla and especially Ladakh are magnificently captured.

[ak]

Bollywood movies are notorious for being written on the nose. Subtlety is a foreign concept for them. Great review though.