Things I Learned from the Movie 12th Fail

Hey readers, back to writing after a long time. As promised earlier, this blog comes under the series “All I Learned Was Cinema,” and the movie I am going to share about is 12th Fail.

I believe most of us would have watched this film. If not, do watch the film. I will just give you a small gist of the film to understand the context of the blog.

IPS officer Manoj Kumar Sharma fearlessly embraces the idea of restarting his academic journey and reclaiming his destiny at a place where millions of students attempt the world’s toughest competitive exam: UPSC.

Yeah guys, this was taken from Google. What do you expect? You want me to explain the entire story in this blog? No way! Instead, I recommend you watch the movie.

Why 12th Fail Worked for Me

The movie has a very simple story, a village boy becoming an IAS officer. We have seen many movies with similar plots. They all come under the genre “motivational” or “inspiring.” But the fact that made 12th Fail work was “relatability.” Yes, the movie was motivating and inspiring, not only for people who are preparing for IAS but for everyone. 12th Fail was written in such a way that everyone was able to see a part of themselves in Manoj Kumar Sharma. I say it was relatable because Manoj Kumar Sharma was neither a very dedicated boy from the very beginning nor a spoiled kid. He was normal, just like most of us. He was following the crowd, he cheated when everyone cheated, and his highest ambition at first was to become a clerk. These relatability factors made 12th Fail my personal favorite.

What Made Manoj Kumar Sharma Special

I described the characteristics of Manoj earlier, so what made him special? When there were around 100 students who studied 12th with Manoj, what made him the protagonist? It was the courage he had when he went to meet DSP Dushyant Singh. It was the determination he had when he was preparing for the exam. It was the resilience he had when he failed in the first three attempts. It was the honesty he had throughtout his life .Last but not least, it was the people he had around him.

Yes, the people around him, like his father, who went to Delhi to fight against corruption in his village; his mother, who was there to take care of his family when he and his father were not around; his grandmother, who gave her life savings for him to study for PCS; his friend Pritam, who gave him food, accommodation, and hope when he had nothing; his girlfriend, who asked him to turn the world upside down (it was a metaphor, and the scene is great actually); and his mentor Gauri Bhaiya, who was everything to him when he was preparing for his last attempt.

Well, as you see, the 12th Fail universe was not all about Manoj Kumar Sharma. It was filled with other people who impacted the world of Manoj Kumar Sharma. This is the important thing to learn from this movie: always have good people around you, people who align with your ideas, people who believe in you, and people who motivate you.

Manoj Kumar Sharma Had 24 Hours in a Day !:

We all believe we have 24 hours in a day, right? Do we use them all? But Manoj did. When he was preparing for his exams, he went to a coaching class, he worked in a library, and he studied in the rest of the time. When he lost his job in the library, he ground atta flour even at nights. He studied whenever he had time and slept for an hour or two every day. And here we are complaining that we don’t have enough time. But that isn’t true. We have so much time. We have the same amount of time that everyone has; it depends on how we use it.

The Growth Mindset

From the very beginning of the movie, it is shown that Manoj always had a growth mindset. He initially aimed to become a clerk, and when he achieved that, he believed he could do even more the next year. At that stage, he was inspired by DSP Dushyant, who instilled in him the values of honesty, power, and education. As a result, Manoj raised his goal to become a DSP. He went to Gwalior, but unfortunately, the PCS exams were stopped by the state. However, that didn’t stop Manoj from dreaming bigger. He decided to become an IAS officer, a term he had just heard. Manoj never limited his potential, never stopped dreaming, and never complained.

Manoj Wasn’t Perfect

Yes, the protagonist of the film wasn’t perfect. He fell in love and lost his concentration, which led to his failure in the second attempt. However, the key point is that Manoj was distracted, not diverted. He never stopped focusing on the bigger picture. This trait in Manoj can be seen in everyone; we get distracted and forget our goals. So, it’s crucial to learn from Manoj to always focus on the bigger picture.

Conclusion

The film had a really wholesome ending: the IAS interview scene, the news of his success shared with his parents over the phone, and him meeting Dushyant Sir again as an IAS officer. It had the perfect ending that everyone hopes for in life.

In conclusion, 12th Fail is a remarkable film that offers many valuable lessons and moments of inspiration. From the growth mindset of Manoj to the importance of focusing on the bigger picture, the movie provides insights that are relatable and motivating. While I’ve highlighted some key aspects, there are many more elements of the film that deserve appreciation, such as the diverse characters, the evocative music, and the overall storytelling.

My favourite moment from the movie:

Now, I want to hear from you. Comment on your favorite moments from the film and share what resonated with you the most. Do follow and stay tuned for more insights in my “All I Learned Was Cinema” series!