3 Idiots and Me

Once upon a time everyone amongst us was in college. We had great dreams, some unique vision about our life. We went into the world from the college with great enthusiasm. We made random decisions which after 10-15 years have made us reach where we are now. Life has taught us some hard lessons; life has been very generous sometimes. Life has given some really beautiful moments and some very challenging. But we have enjoyed the journey. But again college days really were the best days of life. Why all this thoughts?
Reason: I happened to come across a cult movie released very recently 3 Idiots. In the movie the main three (or 4 if you consider the comedian colleague who is modeled on to most of us who are in rat race) protagonists meet 10 years after graduation. Movie took me back to those days. I am of the opinion that each one should have at least a year of hostel life to make their education complete. It invokes bonding which we have seen that run through lifetimes. We were also subject to intense academic pressures but also enjoyed a life secluded from world (we being stationed in remote town as per Jawaharlal’s Nehru’s vision of IITs). We had our friends, hostel mates, seniors, juniors as a part of extended families. Thankfully in those time internet was just newly launched and only computer exposure was in labs. We had many extra curricular activities. We enjoyed a lot and suffered a lot through hardships like lack of basic amenities like toilet, water. We had to eat refugee camp food etc. But we then enjoyed it. It taught us perspective. Education was good: definitely it taught us to manage things in life irrespective of whether you know the subject or not. Some topics really made us interested to know the subject. That’s not what is called excellence but effectiveness. That’s what makes even elite Indian institutes to churn out good managers, good performers but very few original scientists or innovators. They have to go out of Indian systems to enable them with those skills. But mere mortals like me are happy to be part of this great Indian dream. Our vision was to create new Infosys but not Google…
Coming back to Movie review, it’s a well made movie. It runs through cliché and predictability why typifies Bollywood. But it excels in performances and sheer new idea of story. It tries to address a problem but that is hardly any novelty. We already knew that we cannot create Nobel laureates within IITs. It has general appeal as it touches each one of us and taking back to our college days. Each one of us had faced academic, family pressures. Each one of us had those peculiar professors. Good marketing, presence of Aamir khan, great directorial touches has made it cult movie like sholay, ddlj. Movies has some really funny moments: Virus speech, Chatur speech, induction motor start, many more.. Movie also sends a good message that what matters is journey and not the end. Success will follow you pants down if you enjoy your journey.

There is hue and cry about the fact that movie glorifies ragging and also has resulted in few suicides. I think its bit too harsh on the movie. I agree movies do inspire reaction in real life from immature audience but that’s a problem for all movies as a media form of expression. It’s our value system that is at fault. There are far many catalysts than movies which influence us.
For those who have seen engineering and hostel life from inside will find it more appealing. Movie will surely be the reflection of own experiences. That’s what makes this movie more effective.