An incredible, feel-good movie

Rating: 10/10 (28 December 2009)

2009 wasn't a great year for Hindi cinema, with not many movies seeing commercial success and even fewer winning universal critical acclaim. Just as it is about to end, one movie makes up for the entire year. 3 Idiots was carrying the weight of huge expectations, and it is almost shocking to realise that those expectations can be surpassed by the product in front of you.
There are shades of Hirani's earlier movies (Munnabhai MBBS, Lage Raho Munnabhai) and even Taare Zameen Par in 3 Idiots, but that is not a bad thing at all. A movie like 3 Idiots often seems predictable, but predictable it is definitely not. Hirani's movies try to deliver strong social statements, and 3 Idiots is no exception, but in doing so, it never gets preachy. Just when the seriousness is about to border on being uncomfortable, they drop a joke that really works.
At the end of it all, the movie makes you want to tell everyone to watch it. It makes you feel good. It connects with you, tickles you, but at the same time, makes you think, without making you think too much. How Hirani does it, only he knows, but AAL IZ WELL!