Movie Review of "3 Idiots"

There is a difference between something good and something great. It's the slip between the cup and the lip. So in terms of Indian movies sholay is great, taare zameen par is great, munnabhai is great. In fact the three films are more than great. But 3 idiots is not a great film. It's a good film. Do I hear outcries of anger when I say this?it's my opinion and it's subjective. 3 idiots is a very likeable good film. It's got a kick-ass cast of actors the finest perhaps in the country, with Aamir leading the way. It has been gloriously filmed, the music and songs are good, the milieu of the engineering college captured efficiently and that is what makes the first half of the movie so likeable. But it's a character that Aamir has done many times before - the lovable comic underdog. And boman returning in yet another of avatar of the principal seen in munnabhai is now too familiar a move. That does not mean he does not excel in his role. My belief is that boman can do any role. And here too he is fantastic. But the character does not rise above what he had achieved with Asthana. And of course the expectation of the RDB trio returning is high. As for the chemistry between them - it's good but not as great as it was in RDB. As for individual performances Sharmaan shines. Madhavan is good. Aamir is good. But this is where the movie stands. It's a good film. Intact a bloody good film. But not a great one. The length is too long, the implausibility of the second half with Javed jaffrey, and what was with the baby delivery sequence? If Virus needed to be taught a lesson could it not have been better to do it the way Rocket Singh dealt with hi nemesis. Stuck to his guns and ideals - no melodrama. Could it have been dealt differently? Who knows? We see what we see on the screen. Finally, Kareena Kapoor. It's a miniscule role. Yes it is. If anybody told you that this movie is not an Aamir Khan vehicle then they would be lying. It's an out and out Aamir film. Kareena shone in Jab we met and Chameli. Here she does not disappoint in whatever little she has been given. Munnabhai series upped the ante in movie making and story telling. And Rajkumar hirani had shown us what a great film maker he is. And the expectation indeed was high with 3 idiots. Is itvthe story? Or is it just the whole product? It's a movie that has to be seen just like munnabhai, taare zameen oar, rang de basanti. When I walked out of the theatre after watching the three mentioned films I was moved. And so was the nation. Sending bouquets, and standing up for justice became the mantra of the nation. But after 3 idiots all we take back is All is well. And that is where lies the little chink in the armour. Unlike the three movies mentioned which had very strong messages and often multiple messages, this movie has just one message of allowing people to chase their dreams. And it gets stretched across almost three hours. Do watch 3 Idiots - it's a good film. A film that the team should be proud of producing. And as viewers we should definitely watch. But pardon my observation - it's not a taare zameen par, nor is it munnabhai. It's a good film not a great one. Actually I am being very generous when i say it's good. It's a very average film. Amen.