12th Fail: This is an uplifting movie about a small town boy who struggles in the board exams but rises like a sphinx and cracks the tough UPSC exam the second time and becomes an IAS officer through sheer grit and determination. His family and friends including a supportive girlfriend rally around him and keep him in good cheer and helps him not to lose hope amidst challenging circumstances. Vikrant Massey who plays the protagonist Manoj Kumar Sharma is superb with his expressions and dialogue delivery. Set in a rural setting in the town of Bilgaon in Maharashtra, the cinematographers create a rustic village setting which is somewhat dull and drab.The ensemble cast renders a fantastic performance and makes it all look real and believable.The movie makes one ponder about the rigors of the Indian education system that produces nerds with no real life skills. The constant ragging and bullying along with the non sensical academic pressure can sometimes prove to be life threatening resulting in suicides at a tender age.A major rejig of the Indian educational system is required that can enthuse the youth with job-ready skills and empower them with a glorious future. The movie sends out an important message about failures and the need to forget them and restart anew. There is not much song and dance in the movie and the song “Restart” composed by Shantanu Moitra is an apt placement in the end. It is a socially responsible movie and so do watch it.
AninditaRoyMusings 