3 idiots Vs. Five Point Someone

Now we have talked about some personal experiences, attitude, humor and a kind of book review, why don’t we also do a film review? After all, that is what my alohomora defines. Unveil all the magical doors and talk about everything.

Now on to the most hyped and happening movie-3idiots. Well, I got to watch this film on the first day itself so fortunately without much expectations I enjoyed the movie. It is one of the “Feel good” kind of movies which is for all class especially for youngsters. Now on to the most heated topics on newspapers-Five Point Someone vs. 3idiots.

I have read the book and watched the movie as well so I take the rights to speak and compare on both unbiased. FPS is about “what not to do in IIT” (as the Chetan Bhagat). It is one the bestselling books which talks on 3 IIT-ians who try to be different from the usual geeks due to which life takes a roller coaster ride. The main characters in this story are Hari Kumar (yet another ordinary guy who tries to be others), Ryan oberoi (The Brilliant rich and spoilt guy who wants to be unique in everything) and Alok (boy from poor back ground twined with family problems), Neha (Hari’s girl friend and the daughter of the HOD of dept in IIT), Viru (A strict usual IIT-iian faculty who judges students only on GPA), IIT campus (integral part of the story where all important episodes takes place).

3 idiots- Story about 3 individuals Ranchodas Shyamaldas Chanchad aka Rancho (Aamir Khan), Raju Rastogi (Sharman Joshi) and Farhan Qureishi (R Madhavan) and their vile, vindictive college director Viru Sahastrabuddhe nicknamed Virus. Now it is about 3 friends with different backgrounds who meet at one of the most prestigious college “Imperial College of Engineering”. Story travels on Farhan and Raju going in search of their missing friend the intelligent and Unique Rancho. Rancho is the one who influences his friends to take right part and suddenly disappears after college. Why? His girl friend is Pia Viru (kareena Kapoor), daughter of the HOD of IIT-ian and a Doctor. Do they get married, do the friends meet? Why does rancho leave abruptly? What happens to each of the idiot’s life post college is the story.

Now looking on the gist itself you would have noticed certain similarities between the two stories. Well, that is the problem of today. The movie was said to be adaption of the book. Though the screenplay, script travels differently one cannot deny the fact that it travel on the railway line called Five Point Someone. That was what I am going to do here. Let us list down the similarities and differences between the two and see which weighs more. At least this might be an initiative for the solution.

Similarities:

• 1. Background of the story- IIT and Imperial College of engineering.
• 2 . Both of them talks about the ridiculous and strenuous college education system and the pit falls in it.
• 3. Characters of the story- 3 stupid friends with different backgrounds. Girl friend and HOD of the Department.
• 4. Description of the story- Both of them are told in first person with Hari speaking in the book and Farhan (character similar to Hari) in the movie. Both are told in a very humorous way throughout.
• 5. Alok (Book)/Raju (Movie) family back ground. Paralyzed father, Mother making roti’s, Fat sister waiting for marriage.
• 6. Ryan/Rancho’s influence on the other two.
• 7. Alok/Raju moving away from friends for short period.
• 8. Ryan/Rancho unique different project.
• 9. Alok/Raju’s suicide when he is told about expulsion.
• 10. Ryan/Rancho cheering up Alok/raju from his trauma and bringing him to normal.
• 11. Snipping of question paper from the HOD’s room.
• 12. Approval of Ryan/Rancho’s project.
• 13. Ryan/Rancho helping Alok/Raju father in admitting to the hospital.
• 14. Neha/Pia’s brother suicide and the reason for it.

Wow... that is a decent number of similarities. Now let us see if difference outnumbers this.

Dissimilarities:

• 1. Here the girl friend is for Rancho and not for Hari. (I am sorry but that was first obvious thing I noted). (Heroes are always heroes)
• 2. Though rancho and Ryan are shown intelligent. Ryan in the book has always been the last in the class unlike Rancho who tops the university. (Heroes are always heroes only- Repeat).
• 3. Here hari(Book) does not steal the keys for taking the out the question papers instead Pia itself gives it to Rancho. In fact for reason for stealing is also different.
• 4. There is no vulgarity in the film unlike the book.
• 5. Here Farhan does not get into a job unlike Hari but moves into his field of interest.
• 6. Rancho’s success in later life.
• 7. Ryan/Rancho family back ground. Though it initially seems similar there are some obvious differences.
• 8. All is well concept.
• 9. Here Raju only stammers interviews unlike Hari.
• 10. Pia’s sister delivery scenes.
• 11. Here the three friends are not detained from a semester unlike the book.
• 12. In the movie there are no helpful soft hearted teachers unlike the book. It’s all Aamir Khan here, who else do you want??

Well that is all I could notice between the two. It’s almost a near matching number only but definitely the similarities outweighing the differences. So this means the laurels first goes to Chetan Bhagat for his original story. Whatever differences are there, the base is FPS. It is something like a Pizza. There are hundreds of Pizza’s each with different taste and ingredients but one cannot deny that the Pizza base is same for all.

So now I am forced to support Chetan Bhagat and his justifications. Whatever contract has been put earlier and changes have been made it is important that he should have got a better projection in the film. It is pathetic to see his name scrolling at the end of the film in small fonts as “Adaption from the book Five Point Someone by Chetan Bhagat”. Gosh, this book must have been Chetan’s life. He must have put his soul and blood and lived with this book that too being his first book. It is unfair to see his name in small fonts somewhere down after the movie is over.

Now more on to the movie. Why is this movie so much hyped?? Of course the whole movie has been like a joyous ride, hilarious right from beginning. All witty, smart spontaneous humor. But this is not a new thing for Tamil or Malayalam film industry. We have already seen such witty humor from Crazy Mohan, S.Ve Shekar or in Fazil movies. I am forced to accept that probably this kind of humor is new for Hindi audience but not for us. There are also some clichéd kind things which are changed for just for movie. The hero is always being projected in a big way. Lovable guy by all, Super intelligent in his own way, gardener’s son (to pull some sympathy), the finally he is shown rich just to tell that he wins the bet. Hero has to win always no??!!

But there are definitely some applaudable things in this film. First and foremost, Aamir Khan. 44 years and he is still acceptable as a 20 year old college boy with no qualms. His mischievous facial expressions fill the screen. The way he and Chaturamalingam define “Machine” and when he is told to get out of the class his definition of “book” is awesome. Next is the originality and realism in college scenes. Usually colleges in films are used for boy and girl to meet and love and it gets over with cafeteria and parking. Hardly classrooms will be shown, and even if it comes it would be shown in an artificial and foolish way. So applauds for not being the same. I am also forced to appreciate the unity of actors in Bollywood. They believe more in story than heroism.

So whatever it is, this film is must watch. One of the best film in the recent times. A stand apart from others. Hats off to Aamir Khan for his different acting.