How 12th Fail unpacks civil services aspirants’ struggles, and packs a punch

In an era when integrity, perseverance, and honesty appear to be dwindling virtues, some stories stand out as a reminder that they aren’t and shouldn’t be such a rarity after all. In a nation where goodwill feels endangered and films often gravitate toward the glorification of hatred over love, violence over truth, and obscurity over illumination, a film like 12th Fail becomes a warm embrace that defies the norm.

An endearing tale of love and ambition

Inspired by Sharma’s journey of love and ambition, documented in a book of the same name, the film moves you beyond measure, and imparts something that is as indispensable and as magical — hope. It reinforces the belief that no circumstances are too dire, as long as you wake up every day and keep trying; that a heart in the right place will eventually receive its due. It leaves you feeling grateful for instilling this hope in the audience, inspiring them to try a little harder and be a bit more virtuous, even if just for a day or two, after witnessing Sharma’s success and integrity.

That said, it’s a rare occurrence to exit a theater enveloped in gratitude. While joy, grief, patriotism, and even anger are anticipated emotions, gratitude seems an unexpected companion. However, as the final credits roll, tears follow suit, streaming down with both generosity and happiness. The sheer joy and pride are palpable as the theater erupts with cheers and tears — a scene you don’t see often unless it’s a massive Shah Rukh Khan or Salman Khan motion picture. But I suppose only a real hero has the ability to elicit tears from those very individuals who once celebrated the enchanting spectacle of SRK’s outstretched arms and Salman’s bared chest, and holds the power to stir the conscience of those who revelled in the hatred of The Kashmir Files, teaching them the difference between patriotism and jingoism. 

Thus, the heart brims with gratitude — towards Sharma, the embodiment of a golden son of the soil whose moral fortitude remains unyielding against the harshest odds; towards Chopra, who skillfully wields the cinematic medium, a popular form, to narrate a story that, left untold, would undoubtedly be our collective loss; and towards Massey, an actor endowed with so much finesse and heart, for breathing life into Sharma’s narrative with unparalleled authenticity.

A heartwarming love story

12th Fail traces the journey of Manoj Kumar Sharma in the brazen terrain of Chambal Valley, a place where academic deceit is not just accepted but actively encouraged. In this world, teachers themselves are accomplices in the elaborate scheme of cheating that helps students to pass their 12th board exams. However, Sharma’s life takes a transformative turn when, on an ominous night, the police unjustly imprisoned his brother.

In a pivotal moment, instead of resorting to violence, Sharma chooses to plead his case before a recently appointed, upright Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), essayed by the charmingly commendable Priyanshu Chatterjee. This honest officer intervenes and secures the release of Sharma’s brother. Struck by the impact of integrity in positions of power, Sharma becomes enamored with the idea of embodying such righteousness.

The roots of integrity run deep in Sharma’s lineage. Despite facing numerous adversities, his father valiantly fights corruption in various courts. It takes just one encounter with DCP Dushyant to kindle a spark within Sharma. DCP Dushyant Singh who Sharma had encountered for the first time while appearing for his 12th board exams, shuts down the cheating, causing Sharma to fail, an incident which will later pose to be a major hurdle in his quest to become an IPS officer. Singh leaves Sharma with a simple but profound advice: if he aspires to emulate him, he must abandon the path of dishonesty and tread the road of honesty.

Motivated by this meeting, Sharma decides that he is going to appear for the UPSC, one of the toughest examinations in the world, and stand against the tide of corruption when he becomes an IPS officer, which he does, but 12th Fail is the tale of how he does it. Hamstrung by a lack of proficiency in English, he toils away in libraries and pores over books beneath a street lamp, taking up odd jobs, including cleaning toilets, to make ends meet. The language barrier leads to misconstruing entire questions, resulting in failure in his MAINS exams. Yet, this doesn’t break his resolve. The essence of the film and Sharma’s life centers around a simple yet powerful mantra — to restart when faced with failure. And restart he does, each time until he finally becomes an IPS officer, carrying himself in that quintessential uniform that he yearned to wear.

12th Fail not only portrays Sharma’s resilience in the face of adversity but also highlights how, despite lacking personal privileges, he found support in the form of individuals. Surrounded by people like Gauri Bhaiyya (Anshumaan Pushkar) who pushed him to succeed, not just for himself but for the thousands like him who would find the motivation to try from his victory, Sharma found strength in both self-love and love. Chopra skillfully weaves in the heartwarming love story between Sharma and Shraddha Joshi (Medha Shankar), who is not only his present wife but also an accomplished IRS officer. 

The story of their romance, which blossoms amidst the rigours of coaching classes, is a compelling illustration of the idea that love and ambition need not be mutually exclusive. Chopra crafts a beautiful narrative that underscores the notion that one can pursue both aspects of life, tightly grasping onto love and ambition without sacrificing one for the other. The intertwining of Sharma’s personal and professional aspirations creates a multi-dimensional arc that showcases the delicate balance between matters of the heart and the pursuit of lofty goals, allowing the film to resonate with a larger audience.

An ode to the aspirants

12th Fail encapsulates the arduous journeys of people like Manoj Sharma, who come from less-privileged households across the obscure corners of the country, and the travails they go through as they chase their dreams. They believe in their ability to ace fiercely competitive examinations such as UPSC, JEE, or NEET, that serve as escape doors, with a power to lift not just an individual but entire families, along with their future generations, out of the clutches of poverty. Similar to Sharma, there are countless success stories of people who have cracked these exams against all odds, by dint of hard work, dedication and perseverance. Be it a tribal woman from Kerala who cracked the UPSC, or a boy from a remote village in Rajasthan who became the first person in 15 years from his village to have scored in the NEET exam, or a murder convict’s son who secured rank in IIT-JEE by studying in an open jail cell, the victories are innumerable, but so are the trials and tribulations.

It’s vital to understand that these examinations symbolize more than just academic milestones; they represent the keys that can unlock a brighter tomorrow. They hold the potential to propel families towards a future untethered from the constraints of economic and social hardship, subsequently contributing to a collective ascent toward a better future for both the individuals and, by extension, the nation as a whole. 12th Fail is an exploration of the pursuit of education as a means of breaking the cycle of poverty, and misery, with an underlying objective to aid the country as its future doctors, engineers, and office-bearers.

In a nation grappling with the pervasive struggle against corruption, where individuals both resist and succumb to its influence on a daily basis, the resolute journey of one man striving to become an upright officer kindles the collective conscience of the nation. 12th Fail resonates with us because it teaches us that nothing is impossible if we put our mind to it; that the same thing we can’t accomplish with all our privilege can be accomplished by a man with not even a trickle of it, all because he had the courage to dream, and the determination to live by that dream.