3 Idiots

As much as I have enjoyed watching Bollywood films all my life, never before that the enjoyment is brought to a new height like what 3 Idiots has brought.

The biggest Bollywood hit of all time, so far, turns out to be a pleasing work with the right dose of heart, and firm assurance of its own standpoint. The issue of education being a stepping stone to wealth and prosperity rather than characters building hits home to audiences everywhere, making this easily a critical and commercial cross over success.

As shown in his previous film Lage Raho Munna Bhai, director Rajkumar Hirani believes that as long as the content is able to stand on its own, he can take care of the rest of a film's production values. While many contemporary Indian films try hard to win over foreign markets by slowly distancing themselves from Bollywood fun roots, 3 Idiots does a fair share to make it distinctively Bollywood.

Yet Hirani pumps the film with sleeker and slicker look than Munna Bhai, which viewers everywhere can be lured easily with gorgeously photographed panoramic views. 

It may not challenge the convention of typical Bollywood film in its cinematic look, with song-and-dancing breakout scenes are still kept intact to which one number will please any musical fans with reference to Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire 1930s MGM style.
Still, the film manages to bring that to lesser dominance, with the educational content that surely hits the pang of many who have gone through such rigorous educational experience reigns above. 

The indicator of a good film is simplified by this film: it shall never bore its audiences to yawn. Throughout the entire 3-hour plus duration, not a single sleepy moment.

Add that with the usual strong, believable performance by Aamir Khan, and the ever pitch-perfect comic timing of Boman Irani, in particular when he sees his daughter being taken away, we see a Bollywood commercial, mainstream film that manages to achieve what many films aim to: be inspiring.

A film like this does not come every year.

(courtesy of Filmicafe.com)

(Watched in Blitzmegaplex Grand Indonesia, Tuesday, January 12, 2010. With Edwin, Iskandar, Kenny, and their friends.)