3 Idiots MOVIE and MEMBER Reviews - Post HERE! - Page 10

Director: Rajkumar Hirani
Cast: Aamir Khan, Sharman Joshi, R Madhavan, Kareena Kapoor
Rating: *****

In a late scene from the film, 2 of the 3 idiots zip down their pants and pat their bottoms facing the third idiot. Rather than feeling gross at that instant, you have a lump in throat. For the zillionth time in a Hindi film, a bride runs away from the pheras on her wedding day. But the scene still doesn't come across as clichd. For a group of all-male engineering students, to 'deliver' means to literally carry out a delivery operation on a woman in labour pain. And when the motionless newborn responds to a goodwill chant of ' aal izz well ' in true-blue Manmohan Desai mode, you fail to find a fault in the filmi formula. That's the golden touch of Rajkumar Hirani.

So after successfully dispensing philosophies of ' Jaadu ki jhappi ' in Munnabhai MBBS and ' Gandhigiri ' in Lage Raho Munnabhai , Hirani incites a new philosophy of ' Aal izz well ' in 3 Idiots . And like his doctrine, all is well in his helluva film.

Loosely based on Chetan Bhagat's bestseller Five Point Someone , 3 Idiots takes the plot much beyond the campus confines and the target audience much above the youth, for universal appeal. The story starts a decade after the graduation of college companions Farhan (R Madhavan) and Raju Rastogi (Sharman Joshi) who get a clue on the whereabouts of their missing third friend Rancho (Aamir Khan). As they set out on a road trip from Delhi to Shimla to Manali to Ladakh to find their friend, the narrative cuts to and fro into flashbacks as we are introduced to the three idiots in an engineering college.

Rancho clearly is different from anyone else in the college with his individualistic thought-process and rebellious attitude, which invites the ire of the college principal (Boman Irani) and affection of his daughter Pia (Kareena Kapoor).

Coming from Rajkumar Hirani, there was clearly a risk involved in the film's setting and characterizations for having a dj vu effect with his first film. Boman Irani, as the principal, almost revives his disciplinarian dean characterization from Munnabhai MBBS which is more palpable with his disgust towards the rebellious protagonist, Rancho (akin to Sanjay Dutt) who is furthermore in love with his daughter (ala Gracy Singh). Nevertheless, Hirani's direction is so impeccable that without a conscious effort, the analogy never strikes your mind and the scenario never looks repetitive.

In his trademark style, Hirani grabs your attention from scene one with an unconventional opening to the film. Thereafter every single scene written in the screenplay (by Hirani and Abhijat Joshi) is not just relevant but also has a clear set objective ' to be funny or be deeply poignant. Which means it either makes you laugh or cry and at some superlative instances do both simultaneously (which is an achievement). The writers have kept absolutely no room for any intermediate option.

The introduction sequence of the principal is hilarious and so is an annual day Hindi speech of honour by an NRI student. Raju Rastogi's poverty-stricken family is introduced with such nonchalance in spoofy black-and-white frames that what could have ideally been a melodramatic tear-jerker scene is transformed into a laugh-riot. The short-n-smart suspense induced at the interval point teases your anticipation. Sharman's revival scene in hospital reminds of the inspiring carom board scene from Munnabhai MBBS while the delivery sequence in the pre-climax is tackled tactfully and tastefully. The excellence in screenplay can't be summed up in merely a paragraph. In fact even the romantic song Zoobie Doobie is one of the most creatively conceptualized numbers since 'Dhoom Tana' (Om Shanti Om) or 'Woh Ladki Hai Kahan' (Dil Chahta Hai).

The writers also represent a lot of their ideologies through the thoughtful dialogues touching several academic issues from grading systems, parental pressure, student suicides, conformist coaching to theoretical knowledge, without getting preachy at any instance. Sample a straightforward gem that says, "Even a lion learns to obey his ringmaster. But you call him well-trained and not well-educated". Several engineering jokes make way into the script and never fail to make you laugh.

Shantanu Moitra's music is in perfect sync with the mood of the film. C K Muraleetharan's cinematography and Hirani's editing are flawless. Manish Malhotra and Raghuveer Shetty's informal styling succeeds in giving the film it's trendy campus feel and the 30 plus trio convincingly pass off as college students.

Performances are a highlight with Aamir Khan clearly stealing the show in the role of the sharp, optimistic, livewire Rancho. He is so effortlessly natural in his act that you take a moment to analyze and appreciate this as one of his career-best performances. Sharman Joshi is as much competent showing brilliance in both funny and emotional moments. Madhavan has an easy screen presence and perfectly complements his costars for amazing companion chemistry. Kareena Kapoor may have less screen-time but this is amongst one of her most appealing acts. And that is beyond her gorgeous looks. Boman Irani is exceptionally good as the principal. Despite adding a lisp to his character, he doesn't make a caricature out of it, which is the usual tendency. His mannerisms so distinctively remind you of the professors from your college days. Omi as the nerdy NRI symbolizes the teacher's pet you encounter in every classroom.

Rajkumar Hirani serves you idealism but with utmost conviction. He is able to establish a compelling connect with his audience, qualifying himself as one of the finest filmmakers of his time. Who else can turn something as trivial as pudina chatni into a price indicator? The film redefines idiot as 'I do it on my own terms'. After watching the film, you won't mind being certified as an idiot. If you still don't approve of the film, you are a certified cynic.

' 3 Idiots ' is one of the most entertaining films of the decade.