OTT Movie Review – 12th Fail

Director: Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Producer: Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Yogesh Ishwar
Cast: Vikrant Massey, Medha Shankar, Anant V Joshi, Anshumaan Pushkar
Music: Shantanu Moitra
Banner: Vinod Chopra Films
Streaming On : Disney + Hotstar

12th Fail is one film that is being talked about the most. Directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, the social drama is now streaming on Disney + Hotstar. Vikrant Massey plays the main in this film which is based on the struggle of a man who belongs to the backward area.

Story

12th Fail is a movie based on the real-life experiences of Manoj Kumar Sharma, a police officer. Manoj, played by Vikrant Massey, comes from a poor family in Chambal. His father faces suspension for being honest at work. At school, the headmaster encourages students to cheat in exams. When DSP Dushyant, portrayed by Priyanshu Chatterjee, arrests the headmaster, he tells Manoj that honesty is crucial in life. Inspired by Dushyant’s words, Manoj believes that an honest officer can make a positive impact on society. The film explores Manoj’s journey to success and the challenges he faces.

Performances

Vikrant Massey is stunning in his role. 12th Fail is one film that showcases his acting prowess and the young actor delivers a knock-out punch in his role. The way he transforms his character, faces challenges, and insults, and comes on top is so good to see in the film. How Vikrant performs in the climax leaves you in tears. This will be a big break in his career and Vikrant carries the film on his shoulders. Medha Shankar is seen in a key role and she ably supports the narrative. Anant Vijay Joshi, Saritha Joshi, Vikas Divyakirti, and Anshuman Pushkar are perfect in their respective roles.

Technical Aspects

Shantanu Moitra’s music is impressive, and the lyrics stand out as well. Cinematographer Rangarajan Ramabadran skillfully immerses us in the world of Manoj Kumar Sharma. However, there is room for improvement in the editing department as there are many scenes that are narrated at a very slow pace. The production values are commendable, maintaining a neat presentation. There is no room for entertainment as the subject matter is intense and elevates the human emotions of the character played by Vikram Massey. The production design and the world created are amazing to see on screen.

What’s Good

Storyline
Vikram Massey’s performance
Vinod Chaopra’s emotional narration

What’s Bad

Slow pace
Weak chemistry in lead pair

Analysis

After a long hiatus, legendary director Vidhu Vinod Chopra gets back to direction with 12th Fail and delivers a memorable experience. How he incorporated the real-life story into the reel is superb. All Vidhu Vinod Chopra films are known for their earnest performances and the same happens with 12th Fail as well. Vinod Chopra extracts solid performance from its actors and gives the film a realistic appeal.

Films based on the education system have been made in the past and to narrate the film engagingly was no easy task. But Vidhu Vinod Chopra makes sure that he adds humor in key scenes and makes scenes when it is required the most. The best part of 12th Fail is that the hero doesn’t triumph over his challenges through a stroke of luck but by persistently rising after each failure. All these scenes have been showcased in a very gripping manner.

Yet another asset of the film is instead of complaining about the system, the main lead earnestly strives to believe in an ideal and embodies it in his actions. Whether it’s the cheating mafia operating with political support to keep people uninformed or the painfully sluggish wheels of justice that crush the spirit of the common man, Chopra keenly portrays the underprivileged to pursue positions of power beautifully.

On the other hand, 12 Fail also has a documentary kind of feel to it. The initial half an hour is world-building of 12th Fail but the scenes are narrated at a very slow pace and take time to grow on you. But once the world sucks in, 12 Fail is an emotional watch for the way it is narrated with a lot of honesty.

Bottom Line – Slow but emotionally charged