A landmark entertainer in Indian Cinema!

Rating: 10/10 (27 December 2009)

"Chase excellence and success will follow". This is what Rancho (Aamir Khan) preaches in 3 Idiots and Rajkumar Hirani delineates the ideology with such adroitness in every aspect that it marks a monumental event for Indian cinema. In terms of the sheer inspiration that it instigates, this film resembles the greats of 'Rang De Basanti', 'Taare Zameen Par' and the 'MunnaBhai' series while being the most entertaining film after 'Andaz Apna Apna'. After introducing simple but relevant concepts like 'jaadu Ki jhappi' and Gandhigiri to the population at large, Hirani now teaches us 2 more concepts:
Consoling the heart by saying 'all is well' may not solve your problems but it will give you the courage to face them. Being an 'idiot' in an institution that chases grades and success is absolutely fine if you are in the pursuit of gaining knowledge and exploring your own talent to its potential. Our system needs to evolve in order to encourage us to pursue what we really want to do with our lives. As Rancho rightly criticizes the Director of the ICE about the college having produced numerous rankers but not a single student who has been creative enough to invent anything with what he has learned.
2 of the idiots, Farhan (R. Madhavan) and Raju (Sharman Joshi) leave everything they're up to and along with their dorky college buddy Chatur (Omi Vaidya) begin a journey in search of their long lost friend Rancho, who left them abruptly several years ago. This beautiful journey through Shimla, Manali and Ladakh sends Farhan down memory lane to reminisce the manner in which a free spirited 'Rancho' entered their lives and changed them forever.
The non-conformist Rancho rightly questions authority that suppresses free thinking. Every class that he attends is a revelation of sorts for the professor and the students alike. Through outrageously funny incidents and scenes, Rancho gradually changes the way his friends run the relentless race. His influence even spreads to the director's daughter Pia (Kareena Kapoor), leading to even more outrage for the Virus. Through all the hilarious series of events, Hirani also voices his ideologies in some deeply moving scenes to give us an insight into the flaws of the educational system. Its demands are severe on students who are forced by parents who dream for them on their behalf and families that live in sheer misery hoping for the son to become a money-making engine. The latter is humorously depicted as a typical 1950s family in black and white melodrama that makes you sympathize and laugh at the same time. Touch of genius there...
Even after a shocking twist at the end of first half, the film continues its pace while never losing the steam of entertainment. The film's climax is shot in the spectacular landscapes of Ladakh. Speaking of which, the cinematography CK Muraleedharan is outstanding! After painstaking attempts to shoot at the heavenly location, he did manage to catch it in all its majestic splendor. His work overall gives a real, enriching look to the film.
Shantanu Moitra's music WILL not sound like the most appealing when listened to prior to watching the film. It is the manner in which the songs are timed in the storyline and the relevance of the lyrics with the characters that enables the music to grow on you. Give me some sunshine and Behti hawa are the examples of this. All is well was a super-hit from the on-set itself with its catchy theme.
As the usual case is with Hirani's films, the performances are impeccable. Boman Irani as the oppressive director must feel at home with his role as a dean but he still has the ability to impress us with his remarkable portrayal of Virus. Kareena Kapoor has proved her talent in a role that did not require her Kambaqt Ishq attire but rather her true self as a good actress who, when given the right role to work with can prove to be worthy. Omi Vaidya is a discovery here. His speech on stage is one of the most hilarious moments in movies and his inept Hindi and dorky behavior are aspects of his brilliant performance. R. Madhavan shows finesse and a lot of confidence in playing his character. His scene with his father, Parikshit Sahni is the epitome of his performance. Sharman Joshi has displayed his comfort with comedy before and it is a delight to watch him repeat his act from Rang De Basanti rather than that of his other films. Aamir Khan once again, shines light on a rich, well scripted character. His brilliance levels with his commitment as an actor. He proves yet again that true performances only come with understanding and studying the character that one has to portray. He frankly has too many noteworthy scenes but he is at his best while confronting the impregnable Virus. He is the voice of Hirani's ideas and creativity and an astounding personification of a character only he could've played with such virtuosity.
But 3 Idiots is not all about how great Aamir was. This film is extraordinary because it gets the most rudimentary part of film making right - the screenplay and script. With the combined talents of Abhijat Joshi and himself (story, screenplay, dialogs), Hirani's basics in film making achieve overall perfection. There is something unique and entertaining happening in every scene and you would kick yourself if you take a restroom break.
It would suffice to say that 3 Idiots is a landmark film and is set to become one of the biggest blockbusters by the virtues of Rajkumar Hirani and that of his immensely talented team including some of the finest actors. This film deserves multiple viewing and you know what?.... You'd still want to watch it again.
9.505 on a scale of 1-10.