12th Fail Movie Review: Vidhu Vinod Chopra film is the elixir our cynical times need

Though 12th Fail is based on the incredible true story of IPS officer Manoj Kumar Sharma,

[{"selector":"#anim-9136d7fb-86f2-401a-9b17-796da3eea5e8 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-35.937499914669296%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9eec84bc-fa2d-41e3-9b9d-92418492d384","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-35878d14-de70-4eb3-92a5-99cb11299602","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.11765%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

It is the tale of every person who has ever dared to dream beyond their means. Directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, it is playing at a theatre near you.

[{"selector":"#anim-eaff03a8-fca2-4dd9-8ece-8704ffb44795 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-acb1e22a-b679-441e-a5d7-bf2ec98947f5","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}]

Written, directed, and produced by Chopra, it opens in a nondescript, dusty village in Chambal.

[{"selector":"#anim-8b44a2e0-3a7a-4a83-930f-60f515b470fb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-edf06a9e-6b38-406b-9445-d956c06840c5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-97.74267%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a7cc2e24-02d6-46d3-8eb1-62f4c438e952","keyframes":[{"offset":0,"transform":"translate3d(0, -328.90015%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.29,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.45,"transform":"translate3d(0, -92.48672218%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.61,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.71,"transform":"translate3d(0, -31.44285434%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.8,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.85,"transform":"translate3d(0, -11.807515385%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":0.92,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"},{"offset":0.96,"transform":"translate3d(0, -5.13084234%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(.5, 0, 1, 1)"},{"offset":1,"transform":"translate3d(0, 0%, 0)","easing":"cubic-bezier(0, 0, .5, 1)"}],"delay":0,"duration":600,"fill":"both"}]

[{"selector":"#anim-49118ed2-0500-446b-9760-aec8a8e92dfe [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-34.170081871157784%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] a young boy from Chambal who wants to join the police force. A 12th drop out, he wants to serve his nation and is prepping for the UPSC exams. His journey, however, takes a u-turn when he refuses to cheat in his board exams.

Despite contradicting situations, through Manoj, the film chronicles the idea of hope and courage through a hero who decides to restart’ every time he falls. In a poignant scene in the film,

[{"selector":"#anim-49f121dc-20b9-4d42-81c8-707947abac4d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.11765%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a2019d10-49e8-4616-ae54-0e315d3e9e82","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d2715f5a-c63d-4b92-900a-47074bc9489a","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8a72f476-7bfb-40d4-9c13-f1cca877ebc2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-34b55b13-3f0a-4974-a32e-fa1b5c752182","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}]