Friday, December 25, 2009

3 Idiots

"Refreshing" "Superb!" "Rajkumar Hirani - Take a bow!" "Triple thumbs up!" - that was probably what I thought I'd say after watching the film that has Aamir in the lead and Rajkumar Hirani as the director. And Aamir was the only reason I watched the film first day first show. I came out of the theatre disappointed.
Story

Farhan (Madhavan) and Raju's (Sharman Joshi) classmate and roomie in the hostel is Rancho (Aamir Khan). Rancho is one kaliyuga Santaclaus, who spreads joy and goodness amongst people particularly his friends . Both his friends are not interested in studies and float around in college only because one has his family dependant on him to get a job and earn monies with his engineering degree and the other's father decided on the day of his birth that he would become an engineer. The Dean of the college Viru Sahasra Budhe/ Buddhi does not particularly like these 3 Idiots and goes all out to make these guys' lives miserable in college.

Rancho is a topper in class . And he aalakkufyes both his friends- Raju gets a job facing one number campus interview and Farhan decides to pursue his interest in wildlife photography. But then... Rancho goes missing! If the film had had a tied up with google the movie would have been over in 20 minutes. So all you idiots, thank youtube and facebook because this is a 2 1/2 hour 'film' film only 'coz this film has a tie up these and not google . And yes, you are a pucca idiot if you get to watch this film during the long weekend 'coz the ticket prices are going to go upar upar and upar only for this long weekend. Got it idiot? Now wait for it to come on Colours or some such Channel in the next 30 days. Don't waste your money - Idddiot!

Munnabhai part 3

This film should have been titled Munnabhai part 3. The do-gooder hero who is the kaliyuga Santaclaus, the humour, the overtly senti scene which are painful after a point, the music, the singer, the tiny moments, Boman's caricature, "Let's change the education system" - everything reminds you of Munnabhai

The 3 pluses

Cast : Madhavan is quite a dependable actor and he does what is expected of. Has Aamir tried to overdo the 20 year old bit rolling his eyes and scratching his head like a loser? Yes he does. Sharman is cute. Boman has played a similar role like this before in quite a few films but he is quite an 'entertainment' in the film. Kareena kapoor does a 'Jab we met' minus the pout. Big relief. So tick mark. Omi who plays Chatur keeps you in splits.

Humor: The film is honestly, funny. No no not the typical Bollywood sheniyan Johnny Lever kinds but with jokes that are not slapstick and annoying.

Sentientertainment: Raju Hirani is a master at pizhinchifying sentiness out of you with a tinge of humor and 3 Idiots is of the same type.

The 6 minuses

Cast: Despite Aamir trying to look young scratching his head, rolling his eyes etc. the kezhattutanam shows. Madhavan - '78 born. ha ha ha ! Semma joke! Aren't there 20 year olds in the country who could have played the same roles?

Sentiness : There can be only one or two high senti points in any film. If every second moment is one sentipan making you reach out to your handkerchief, it gets painful after a point. You guys tried it in Munnabhai and it worked (not for me though) but please this is getting repetitive Raju Hirani Sir.

Shantanu Moitra, Sonu Nigam : The music director is a great talent but very limited. The retro tune is Shantanu's forte` and that's probably why they sound rehashed. And why? why Sonu Nigam who sounds constipated in all the songs?

In-film branding: Such films make me feel good about the job I do which is on similar lines. The in-film branding is so blatant and blunt that I once again want to pat myself for the wonderful job I do with respect to branding. [Boss, you reading this one?] Television shots with Big TV branding (so Big you can't miss it), Phone rings with the Airtel ringtone (so loud it annoys you) and that stupid All izz well (Reliance Life Insurance).

Makeup

Aamir's makeup is really bad and he looks like the male version of Kajol in the Olay ad

"Idho doctor" moments

Bollywood / Tamizh films have these "Where is the doctor?- Here comes the doctor" moments. Those were the '60s and '70s where we'd wait for those predictable 'Police-in-the-climax' scenes in the MGR films. This film has many such moments the most annoying being the 'All izz well' when Mona Singh delivers her child. The scene was being pullllllllllll...led to the 'All izz well' moment so hard you have every other person in the theatre saying "All izz well" (Thinking about it, was that the real aim - getting people to shout brand taglines?)

Izzz All well?

You pay goddamn 200 bucks (there are losers who are going to pay more for the evening-night shows during this long weekend! ha ha ha) to be entertained for those 2 1/2 hours and 3 idiots does this dutifully.

But the film is so predictable oh-so predictable in the second half that you wish you had paid half the price and watched only the first half.

3 Idiots - One point something for each idiot - 3 out of 5

26 Responses:

யாத்ரீகன் said...

this was supposed to be Chetan Bagat's 5 Point Someone ?! is it really ?

Prabhu said...

Where is the five point someone in this story. God, how chetan can say this is his story? koduma sir...

Anonymous said...

your blog is really funny

Anonymous said...

thank you thank you..rubees michcham!

Teesu (very very Indian, very very good) said...

So sad. Looked forward to Aamir.Maybe will just pay 100 and watch it...??

Deepak G said...

aiyayo naan naalaiku porein n i tot i shld not read any reviews b4 tat...but ungaldu padika mudiadu nu solla mudiumaaaaaaa

I said...

Seems you changed the template.

Slogan Murugan said...

always spot on.. ur reviews.

Maddy said...

When you expect too much, this could be the result.

Like any other movie, there are flaws in this movie too.

Question 1: Is it so easy to get away from the drama (the first scene by Madhavan)
Question 2: Padam internet era thaan nadakkuthu?
Question 3: Amir has problem only with Virus. Kathaliya ippadi ammbonnu vittuttu poga reason ille? But after 5 years ava odi poralaam kalayanatha niruthittu…..enna kodumai saravana!!! Ippadiyum irukkangala ponnunga innum?
Question no 4 : To give that ball point pen, avlo drama vaa? Paavam Doctor’s profession! Yaarum thookkula thongalannu ninaikiren.!

Anyways, All is well blogeswari…..naan padatha sollalai…unga review!!

But koncha neram sirikkalam, athukku kodutha paisa sariya poyidichu!! Oru thadavai nitchayama paarkalam.

Anonymous said...

"Aall is well" about this movie, must watch for Aamir/Madhavan fans. Go ahead and just laugh for 2 1/2 hours and you will forget everything else.

- "Idioteswari"

Unknown said...

Some bloggers, when they start getting a considerable number of comments on their blogs, start considering them self as all-in-all-azhagu-ranis.

People, you should definitely watch this movie. I am sure you will like it and even if you don't you won't regret watching it.

I have a question Blogeswari, do you watch movies to enjoy the movie or to just find faults in the movie so that you can kizhuchufy in your blog?

"Aren't there 20 year olds in the country who could have played the same roles?"

Yes there are actors of that age but the movie may not sell if we have those actors in the movie. The actors are not looking out of place at all in this movie.

"Sentiness : You guys tried it in Munnabhai and it worked (not for me though) but please this is getting repetitive Raju Hirani Sir."

None of the senti scenes are like some Vikaraman or Vijaykanth kinda senti scenes that you can't take. I didn't even realize that they are senti scenes because they are so beautifully told.

"Shantanu Moitra, Sonu Nigam :"

Shaan's voice doesn't come through when he sings "kahan se aaya", his emotions do. There is such genuine anxiety in the voice when he utters the line "kahan gaya usse dhoondo". Such a beautiful song.

And about Sonu: Currently, I don't think there is any playback singer with the versatility of Sonu Nigam. In this the movie, the story and the characters demands that he sings in that manner. I have not heard a constipated guy sing. So I wouldn't know.

"In-film branding:"

I didn't even notice these things because I was watching the movie to enjoy it and not to look for these things so that I can dissect them later. I think these things will stop happening to you the day you leave work at office and then go to a movie hall.

"All izz well' when Mona Singh delivers her child. "

I agree that this scene was a lil too filmy. But isn't that what we expect in a movie. If cinema with complete reality in it, was preferred by the audience then documentary film makers will be laughing their way to the bank. But that is not the case, we like our movies to be a little filmi and 'dil'ogical.

I think Raju Hirani has mastered the art of giving loud and clear messages in a fun and entertaining way, through his movies.

Three Idiots' message of "do what you enjoy doing" will only add to the gems like 'live life to the fullest' and 'Gandhigiri'. This director is a genius and we need more such directors.

3 Idiots : All Izz Well.

Blogeswari: Get well soon.

Anonymous said...

Have you heard of a concept "the whole is more than the sum of its parts" dont dissect somethings so much that you fail to see the beauty and magic of the whole ...

madhu said...

I loved the movie. !! In fact I loved this movie much better than Kaminey. I could'nt understand why ppl raved abt Kaminey when it was all dark. Anyhoo, to each his own.

Minanath Dhaske said...

http://caricaturehome.blogspot.com/2010/01/3-idiots-and-five-point-someone.html

Suhel Banerjee said...

@prasannaraman - I have very high regard for you as someone who has well carved opinions, and would like to share my opinions on this issue with as well.

Leaving the entire Chetan Bhagat-FPS credit controversy aside, much like Blogeswari, I felt let down by 3 Idiots. No, not in an absolute sense, it definitely is much more watch worthy than most movies that Bollywood churns day in and out. It was a let down coming from 2 people I highly respect and admire in terms of choice of movies - yes, you guessed it - Aamir Khan and Raj Kumar Hirani.

I thought it was a noble idea which was way too simplified (for box office revenues of course) and as far as scenes and characters in the movies were concerned, they were rehashed from several sources, which doesn't suit the makers.

Boman Irani's character was too similar to Amitabh Bachchan's in Mohabbatein. I could almost see AB as BI when they were discussing how he was in a way responsible for his child's death for his stubbornness.

All Izz Well was nothing but the 'Jaadu ki Jhappi' in a new packaging, that magic mantra, which stands for love and hope which takes care of everything.

Aamir Khan going to Madhavan's house and being awestruck by his photographs was an exact replica of the scene from Taare Zameen Par where he was similarly taken aback by Darsheel's skills as an artiste.

Now coming to the story, no doubt the concept of convincing parents to not force their children to take up particular educational streams is new to Bollywood, but then as a concept that's almost as old as liberalisation in India, and the in your face way in which it was shown in the movie left a lot to be desired. It was akin to spoon feeding preachy ideas whereas the same concept would have flourished with a far subtler handling.

The baby delivery scene goes without saying helped in deducting 15%-20% of the ratings, and the simple black and white characterisations didn't add the AK touch either.

Finally, I would say it was a novel concept for Bollywood, brought together by some of the sharpest minds we have, but wasted to some extent, either for box office greed or assuming the audiences to be dumber than what they are.

Look forward to a lot more from AK and RK.

aakash said...

prasannaraman ne to faad daali blogeswari ki.......sahi hai mamu...aal iz well....

clemde@gmail.com said...

dear Blogeswari!
What exactly is it you do in the Muncipal corporation. I am also working there. Health department. Mental Health department. may be we can meet up sometime for a cuppa chai. I like meeting women a lot younger than me and at 85 you are one of the few who qualify.Looking forward to fast responses.

Shammi said...

2.5 hours of laugh riot? I dont THINK So! Cliched jokes, jokes so old they've got long white beards, at least two of the three Idiots are (and look) way too old to play college students... *sigh*

Durgesh Shastri said...

wonderfull review--blogesh

Aravind said...

Gud one!!visit mine too!!

ப்ரியா கதிரவன் said...

Thats THE review,
Nice.

Unknown said...

i think...society and students are not interested in controversies but they are interested in film & in the direction in which its pointing, i mean changes in education systems and issues of parenting’s like...a child bird with wings!, robot or individuality?, r we teaching the race ?...etc. plz visit www.garbhsanskar2.blogspot.com & youtube.com/nilesh459602

lostworld said...

First-time here.. :-)) Absolutely superb review. I haven't watched the movie but I realized it was preachy & all. Even I couldn't see 40 yr olds playing college students..whom were they fooling & what were they thinking?! But then , they made the profits so I guess we are all Idiots!

Maddy said...

Enge aalaye kaanom?

Yogesh said...

read this post then turned to comments, found 24 comments.
One interesting thing I found is there is not a single reply by blogger on these comments(hope, i have not missed it.)
On a first look it looks like poster is kind of rude personality(that's first impression and not a final)
For sure writing skills are attractive, doubt about perception though.(hope that's not rude)

cheers,
Yogesh

harimohan said...

whatever said and done i felt this was one of the good movies i had seen recently kudos to aamir and team