Snipper: 3 Idiots

Snip-in
Most of us must have been following this movie for at least 1 year since it's announced sometime in 2008 - And for the sheer fact that it's based on one of the best seller novels in India:- '5 Point Someone'. The novel was really very captivating and was an instant hit typically in the youth and also from-the-not-so-young- to the-older-generation because they can still relate the incidences in the novel to some things, somewhere and sometime that must have taken place in their college / younger life. So do I - I have read the novel in 2007 and knew about the-movie-in-the-making since late 2008. The movie has been already making a lot of hype because of the star cast and being Rajkumar Hirani's next movie after 2 successful 'Munnaibhai' flicks. And for me :-) this is probably the fastest review written in less than 1.5 hrs, across 2 sittings (Friday 1st January afternoon after an heavy lunch, and then after the photo-filled walk ;) the subsequent morning) in midst of the company and chaos :-) of friends and kids at Panhala, Kolhapur.

Well the movie is really nice and full-fills the expectations of the viewers from multiple standpoints. And most of the credit goes to Rajkumar Hirani for the story, script and the direction. These 3 aspects are so tightly integrated in one, that it doesn't give the viewers time to think. Like the very Munnaibhai touch, it also makes you laugh most of the time, but at the same time touches you deep within, through 'Hirani- special' dialogues and scenes. Music by Shantanu Moitra is just ok, you probably wont fall in love with the music. Although 'Zoobi-Doobi' is a one of the nicest songs and stands out because of the cinematographic excellence, captured in big sets and in hues of black and white, and sepia with the choreography, costumes and makeovers picked up from the 60s. Swanand Kirkire has also done a decent job in terms of the lyrics.

The star cast is obviously great. One more time we get to see the trio of Amir, Madhavan and Sharman after 'Rang De Basanti'. Sharman has played the usual 'Poker-faced' young boy one more time, and with the same ease. Even if he has mastered the act of doing it, he is becoming monotonous, but still can make people laugh at the act. Madhavan the same thing - he is a nice actor but most of the times is not impactful. However for one more time, Boman Irani's character would be remembered for ages together. He is a thinking actor and definitely puts lot of variety and finer aspects while building any character. Chatur is also a great character nicely portrayed by Omi Vaidya. He is big-time successful in making the people hate him through-out the movie. Kareena has a very little role to play, but she is impactful in some of the scenes like- when she is delivering a dialogue when she is drunk, while sitting on the bed and with the helmet put on her head:-). But all the accolades go to Amir Khan, for the sheer reason that he has portrayed a character around 25 years younger to him, and still the viewers can accept him as the fresher in the engineering college for most of the scenes in the movie. In fact hats-off to him for his 20some character in '3 Idiots', as he has played the 25 year old in 'Rang De Basanti' when he was at least 5 years younger than today, and then in 2005 we thought how great Amir is, who can play such a variety of roles so convincingly! Another good thing about Amir is, he has changed the style / fit of his trousers almost after 20 yea rs, first time in 'Gazani' and is continued in '3 Idiots' as well. His earlier trouser fits were really never contemporary / appealing.

The volvo XC 90 in the movie would also be remembered for a very long time, for it's Bright and very different Red color (with a dash of white as against the black which is mostly widely used in the 'Red' color vehicles) and for its more-than-majestic-looks. It specially gives the opening sequence and the movie, a very nice trajectory, and a very soothing visual experience while the in-chopper-camera follows the Volvo, when it passes through the mountains and hilly roads of Ladakh in the backdrop of a well-synchronized slow/touching number 'Behti Hawa sa Tha Woh'.

Also the scene towards the end of the movie, when a small and obvious (read - 'in Black and White')suspense is being revealed, and where Amir and Kareena are about to be tying the heavenly knot, is very beautiful and picturesque, shot in Ladakh in the backdrop of the soft and white sand; glowing, bright, apparently untouched and inviting snow peaked mountains, and the blue and clean waters of the lake. That has already made a lasting impression on to my mind.

Snip-out
Even if the movie scores on number of aspects, it has many things which could have been avoided, and which could have made it a real-clean-family-movie. The scene at the hostel at Amir's entry, Chatur's speech at the college event, repetitive use of certain words, actions and scenes makes it very cheap. It appears to be a vague and unwarranted adaption of the 'American Pie' and the likes. I was wondering how come it can escape from the eyes and ears of the censor board. Bad job done there!

It's also a very liberal adaption of 5 Point Someone, I'd say just the theme is similar to the novel, but story line and the scenes are altogether different. And that makes it a lot disturbing for the hard-core Chetan Bhagat fans. The movie revolves mostly around Amir's character and which is what again is not in-line with the novel. In fact the more apt title could have been '4 Idiots and a Smarty' :-) (Sharman, Madhavan, Boman, Omi, and the Smarty - Amir).

BTW 8 pack abs are totally vanished, and I don’t think it’s because of the requirement of the story, which Amir is known to adapt to, across every single movie:-)! But I guess it must be courtesy Kiran Rao and her culinary skills :-)

Snip-O-Meter
Well overall the movie is pretty good, doesn't really makes you boring even if it's lengthy - almost 160 odd minutes. I'd still feel that Munnabhai 's (Especially Part 1) were better movies in terms of the originality and adherence to the themes. Hirani has taken too much of cinematic liberty which is appealing, but may be putting down the fans of the novel at many occasions. However for the masses and typically amongst the youth 'All is well' succeeds in creating equal vibes as the 'Jadu Ki Zappi'. It has to be watched at least once for the acting performances of stalwarts in Amir and Boman, and also for taking tons of positive energies out of the movie.