PremiumVikrant Massey’s 12th Fail offers a solution to students stuck in a threesome with love and responsibilities
12th Fail was released in theatres on Oct. 27, 2023, and on Disney+ on Dec. 29. The Vikrant Massey starrer has won over international hearts with its sincere plot and stirring performance.
Vikrant Massey (Instagram)
Last Updated: 03.30 AM, Jan 06, 2024
After 12th Fail’s ‘sleeper hit’ status, Vikrant Massey no longer needs an introduction to the theatregoers. OTT viewers have known him since Mirzapur, though. But 12th Fail, as a film, is a novelty beyond its lead, a difficult feat to achieve especially when the hero is an exceptional performer.
The film boasts of Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s magical touch, not only in production or writing, but also in directing after a long three-year gap since Shikara (2020). A Shantanu Moitra-helmed boat guarantees soothing as well as rousing musical scores in this inspirational film.
But thankfully, the film manages to leave a mark despite the glamourous brains and hands behind the project. It is so because of its unique premise. A real-life story-inspired plotline that traces the fragile line of balance one must maintain to balance studies, work, love, and responsibilities.
But it does not do so by drawing upon one’s fear. 12th Fail focuses on the self-love and honesty one must maintain and persevere, in order to make it big, irrespective of one’s origin. Vikrant Massey’s Manoj is an innocent, rustic boy from Chambal’s Bilgaon, who has recently learned the value of honesty and is determined to be an IPS officer.
However, life throws varieties of Yorkers and Doosras at him to get his wicket, from getting all his money and belongings stolen, to making him scrub library toilets to make money enough to study, to working as a laborer at a flour mill for 15 hours a day.
Despite every bit of struggle, Manoj never stops smiling and never begins complaining. And being a true story of real-life officer Manoj Kumar Sharma, 12th Fail proves that the Universe does fall in love with a stubborn soul, if you grit your teeth long enough and hold on.
A major struggle faced by students ad infinitum is the inability to maintain both love and responsibilities, be it familial or professional. But 12th Fail shows that if one’s intentions are true, and if one is ready to work hard, then one day or the other, they are going to win the Ludo of life.
Manoj has responsibilities at home, but he also has a dream. A dream of improving India’s future. But it doesn’t end there. He still has enough space in his armoire to accommodate and enshrine love. The film becomes emblematic as a myth buster of the notion that love distracts one from studies.
It is lack of self-love and concentration that does it. The right kind of love supports and focuses a person, helping them grow. The film is also iconic for its cute proposal scene after the ‘phone to family’ fiasco, further cementing the fact that true relationships are forged in honesty, not distracted by bank balance or glamour.
12th Fail also touches base with reluctant families and how being independent, honest and polite really helps your case. Therefore, the only way to maintain love and responsibility while studying, is to never consider choosing one.
Staying true to one’s beliefs and loved ones, studying or working, or both, with full dedication, and loving one’s partner in every situation, that’s all it takes to crack the code. And if, at any point you hit a roadblock and feel down, embolden your efforts to the beat of, ‘restart, restart, restart!’