Classic International Movie: “3 Idiots”

October is classic international movies month. Today’s guest post comes from Abhinav Tiwari.

Title: 3 Idiots

Year: 2009

Writers: Rajkumar Hirani (screenplay), Abhijat Joshi (screenplay), Vidhu Vinod Chopra (screenplay), Abhijat Joshi (story), Chetan Bhagat (novel)

Lead Actors: Aamir Khan, Madhavan, Sharman Joshi, Kareena Kapoor, Boman Irani

Director: Rajkumar Hirani

Awards: Award of the Japanese Academy for Best Foreign Language Film (Nominated)

Plot summary: Two friends are searching for their long lost friend. During their search they revisit their college days and recall how their friend Rancho had a huge impact on their lives. But there is more to Rancho than what they had thought.

Why I Think This Is A Classic International Movie

The themes addressed in this movie are universal. Who in this world will not relate to the pressure and expectations that is thrust upon students during their formative years? It also tries to raise the issue of high number of students’ suicide in India. The suicide theme is raised few times in the movie but the message is kept subtle all the time. Another pertinent message which runs throughout the movie is to follow your heart. Basically a person should chase excellence, and success will automatically follow.

Rajkumar Hirani is a master storyteller and he weaves a narrative which is entertaining and a laugh riot, but at the same time addressing multiple social issues at a very real level. The best part is that this movie has its own soul and a heart, ingredients unfortunately missing from most of the modern movies.

My Favorite Moment In The Movie

I cannot pick any one of them. Here are few of my favorite moments:

• Silencer’s speech
• Repeated use of mint sauce
• A key event just before the ending using vacuum cleaner. (watch the movie to believe it)
• Raju’s interview
• Farhan’s conversation with his father

My Favorite Dialogue In The Movie

Rancho: Pursue excellence, and success will follow, pants down.

— -

Rancho: Aal izz well (This line is repeated multiple times in the movie)

— -

Rancho: I wasn’t teaching you engineering, that you know better than me. I was teaching you how to teach.

— -

Rancho: These engineers are very smart sir, they didn’t invent a machine which can measure the pressure on the brain. If they had, we would have come to know that this was not a suicide but a Murder.

Key Things You Should Look For When Watching This Movie

In terms of screenwriting, hats off to Rajkumar Hirani. The movie has two parallel plots running, one in past and one in present. Usually in such cases one story is less entertaining or engaging than the other. In this case the balance of engagement in both the plots is finely crafted. There are more than enough twists and turns in both the storyline to keep the audiences hooked till the end.

Even though the story is told in a non-linear fashion and keeps on jumping from past to present, the transition is seamless all the time.

Look at the friendship between the 3 lead characters. Their chemistry is palpable in each scene and should remind everyone of their own school/college days.

Thanks, Abhinav!

To show our gratitude for your guest post, here’s a dash of creative juju for you. Whoosh!

We already have a set of classic 30s movies, 40s movies, 5os movies, 60s Movies, 70s movies, 80s Movies and 90s Movies. This month, we’re working on classic international movies. And thanks to the GITS community, we’ve got at least 22 movies in the works and hopefully more!

Those who I put in bold have already sent me their posts. If you haven’t sent yours to me, please do so as soon as you can!!!

3 Idiots — Abhinav Tiwari
A Prophet — Paul Graunke
Akira — Clay Mitchell
Amarcord — Norma Parena
Amelie — Kevin Curran
Belle Epoque — Melinda Mahaffey
Cinema Paradiso — Traci Nell Peterson
Diabolique — Sherin Nicole
Jules et Jim — Susan Winchell
Kolya — Melinda Mahaffey
Lady Vengeance — David Joyner
Millennium Actress — Chris Neumann
OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies — John Henderson
Reprise — Wally Marzano-Lesnevich
Seven Samurai — Will King
The Lives of Others — Paul Graunke
The Tenant — Marija Nielsen
This Man Must Die — Marija Nielsen
Y Tu Mama Tambien — Georgina Hutchinson