12th Fail movie review: Vikrant Massey delivers career-best performance

Biopics are one of the easiest, and yet most challenging, kinds of movies to make. While you already have the story, the tricky part is how you are going to present it. How are you going to sum up someone's life in a couple of hours? How are you going to make it gripping and inspiring?

Vidhu Vinod Chopra's 12th Fail is based on the book of the same name by Anurag Pathak. It is an inspiring journey of a lad from a very small town in the Chambal region (the famous home of dacoits in northern India) who fought against all odds to become an IAS (Indian Administrative Service) officer.

Chopra's new release, which has Vikrant Massey as the lead, is a courageous and inspiring story of a boy who had nothing, but his courage and dream of becoming a civil servant and doing his job with honesty. But how did he go on to become an IAS, fighting against all odds, or shall we say, fighting against his life, his destiny, make up the entire film.

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As we have seen, there is no shortage of movies and series based on students aspiring to become IAS and the struggle of brilliant minds on the roads of Delhi's famous Mukherjee Nagar. But the question here is how does Vikrant Massey's 12th Fail stands out? 

Is it actually a film that will inspire you to pursue your dreams and never give up no matter how challenging the road maybe? Or, another film on Indian civil service aspirants' journey that feels like a TED talk?

What is 12th Fail all about?

The film starts off with a panoramic view of the dry lands of Chambal, as we see a boy named Manoj (Vikrant), sitting on the terrace of his kutcha house, diligently writing something. As the camera zooms in, we can see that he is making cheat sheets to clear his 12th-grade exams and start supporting his family.

Unfortunately, all his hard work goes in vain when the new DSP (Priyanshu Chatterjee) in town raids the school and bans the cheating system.  

As a result, Manoj and his classmates fail the exam. Meanwhile, his father has been suspended for speaking up against corruption, making their lives even more challenging. After unforeseen circumstances, Manoj one day meets the same DSP again, and his journey towards a change begins. With the motto given by the DSP of "not cheating", he begins his mission to become an officer.

With the money given by his grandmother, he leaves for Gwalior to become an officer. But he ends up in Delhi with the help of a boy, played by Anant Joshi, who introduces him to IAS exams. With the help of his friends and his unwavering dedication, loyalty, and persistence, Manoj clears the toughest exam in India.

Written and directed by Chopra, who as producer has backed projects that have commented on India's education system and poverty, this one has once again hit the mark.

The film's makers don't waste a single minute in establishing the plot and introducing the audience to Manoj and his life in Chambal in a concise and impactful manner. 12th Fail is among the films that have no twists or turns in the plot, but it hits your mind with its dialogue, emotions, and story.  The script is the clear winner here, and as also how well the makers have paved the story of an underprivileged lad.

While keeping Vikrant as the focus, the makers have made every character count and be noticed equally, from Manoj's mentor who has failed to crack the exam even after six attempts, to his girlfriend Shraddha, who stood by his side through thick and thin. 

The music in the film deserves a special mention, with the songs like motivational track "Restart" or "Bolo Na" perfectly blending with the movie.

Vikrant: The star of the film

I was really impressed by Vikrant's performance in the film, and it's safe to say that this is his best work to date. Vikrant didn't just play the character, he lived it, from the local accent to the body language, innocence, eagerness, and shyness. 

For the way he has brought out the different layers of the character, he deserves all the praise. 

There are so many scenes in the film where Vikrant's acting really stood out for me, whether it's him sneaking from the window, his innocent smile and shining eyes as he looks at the IPS officer, or crouching down to the floor, crying outside the exam hall. 

The other actors in the film, such as Anant Joshi, Anshumann Pushkar and Medha Shankr, are equally impressive in their roles.

Final verdict

As I have mentioned above, there have been numerous movies and series depicting the journey of UPSC aspirants, portraying their struggles on the streets of coaching hubs with high aspirations. And 12th Fail is no exception to that.

But Chopra's film captures the emotional and inspiring journey of the Hindi medium lad Manoj from the arid lands of Chambal to Delhi's Mukherjee Nagar, and finally becoming the IAS officer in the perfect way makes it stand out.

Overall, the cast, dialogue, and story of Manoj are inspiring and keep the viewers captivated throughout the film.  The story may feel very repetitive to many, but Vikrant's acting will leave you with tears of joy