02 January 2010

3 idiots: movie and the controversy


This post is my views on the actual movie and also the credit controversy we have been seeing and hearing for the last 2-3 days.

Well I have not written a post on a movie for long time. But after seeing this movie twice, once in a multiplex and other time in a single screen, I could not resist putting down my thoughts here.
  • The movie even though based on a best-seller has it's own charm. The experience was different altogether. There are sufficient twists to keep the audience at the edge of the seat, even if they have read the novel.
  • While watching the movie for the second time I didn't even get bored in a single frame.
  • Protagonists have gone into the skin of the character, especially Aamir Khan right from eye ball movements to the walking style
  • Apart from the director and the screenplay writer, the major credit should go to the make up man, who has made Aamir look half his original age !
  • Other than the protagonists Boman Irani has also done his job to perfection in his usual style. But the character who steals the show is Chatur Ramalingam, taking credits for the best scene of the movie - his (in)famous speech for the Teacher's day function.
  • The narrative is very gripping as the major part of the story is in flash back. Not so important detailing have been covered with backdrop voice of Farhan Qureshi (R. Madhavan).

Other Views abt the movie:

The Idiotic Controversy
It all began with Chetan Bhagat being disappointed by his name not being mentioned in initial Credits. It was followed by Aamir making a statement that Chetan is doing this for publicity. Then came the yesterday's dramatic press conference in which the producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra(VVC) lost his cool. The controversy entered into headlines with all major journos posting their view in social networking space.

Starting from Vir Sanghvi

I am on the side of Chetan Bhagat in the 3 Idiots controversy. Authors deserve prominent credit if their books are sources. Contrast how Danny Boyle treated Vikas Swarup even though Slumdog was quite different from the book with how Bhagat is being treated. Simon Beaufoy won Best Adapted Screenplay and said without Swarup there would be no movie and no awards.


Then Rajdeep Sardesai

Hirani should say film was inspired by chetan's book, chetan must accept that the screenplay is a raju-joshi creation.


Today when director Rajkumar Hirani in press conference discussed the clauses of the contract signed in 2005, the things became more clear. The final full stop (i hope so) is from Chetan's side by recommending a solution to the situation.

I chose to remain neutral when this credit controversy saga was going on. But the way things have built up from Chetan Bhagat's side I have lost sort of respect towards him. By the look of things I feel he's not able to handle the celebrity status properly.
  • First of all being a product of India's two premier institutes how can he blindly claim that 70% of the movie is based on his novel, just because one of his fan said so? I agree he's emotional because the story is close to his heart, but still. Now he's changing tracks by mentioning in his blog that "We don’t have to get into percentages".
  • Also he's sort of begging from the makers of the movie to put his name under storyline credits atleast in official records and DVD/Sattelite TV version.
  • Last but not the least the following tweet from him -
Understand team 3i is in Indore for presscon today. Maybe they think Indore will be milder to them - but Indore is CB town! ppl there know

  • .. CB town ?? painting the city with his name .. what's rationale for this .. an appaulause for a speech. Come on Chetan ..

Also in read in detail Veer Saghvi's take on 3i controversy.

Also read Five Point Similarities, 3 Identical Things

3 comments:

  1. Nice gist of the soiled fight which is rather getting filthy.

    Bottom line is that it is helping the cause of the film. It's sales.

    No INDIAN will stop watching this movie even though if they prove its a a copy without credits.

    We don't believe in originality anyways. All we want is entertainment be it thru movie or their cat fight.

    My take it is enjoy the fight and get along with your life ...

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  2. the complete agreement copy is here: http://www.vinodchopra.com
    /agreement.pdf,

    It says title will read "based on the novel FIVE POINT SOMEONE by Chetan Bhagat"- doesn't say in what font size and when and where...

    one can also refer to CB's blog for his version of the story.

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  3. nice one...though i somewhat disagree with you...whatever be the case, our film makers are used to 'lifting' stories without proper credits, not to mention music. The starting seed of thought was from the book means that the book should get its due. since the movie is indeed somewhat different and so well made, the producers could have played their cards better by saying "Movie inspired by..." and let people figure it out. It in no way would have lessened the number of fans or their box office collection.

    ReplyDelete