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Movie : 12 Fail
Directed by : Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Written by : Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Jaskunwar Kohli
Produced by : Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Yogesh Ishwar
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When Abhishek Bachchan was asked what he thought was the biggest hit of 2023, he didn’t name Pathaan or Jawan. His pick was 12th Fail, Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s latest directorial starring Vikrant Massey. Having hit theatres on 27 October, the movie, which is based on Anurag Pathak’s 2019 novel, received much critical acclaim within the industry and among a global audience. In fact, 12th Fail, which was produced on a minimal budget of Rs 20 crore according to News18, grossed an approximate Rs 60.87 crore at the box office.
12th Fail is based on the real story of IPS officer Manoj Sharma, who failed in all subjects except for Hindi in the 12th standard, but didn’t allow that to deter his dream of clearing the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC exams). Growing up with meagre savings, Sharma resorted to odd jobs like driving a tempo and walking the dogs of affluent families to pool together the requisite tuition fees.
To Massey, playing Sharma came with a tremendous amount of responsibility. Speaking to IANS, the actor said: “We have said in the media, written on the poster, and also said in the trailer that it is based on a true story, but it is inspired by a million true stories. It represents that common man who has faced hardships. And I just had to go out there and represent my own life. I had to go out and do justice to Manoj Sharma's life, and to do justice to Mr Chopra's vision. It was a daunting responsibility”. Going by multiple verdicts by credible film critics, he delivered on that score, but the actor lays all the credit at Sharma’s door.
With 12th Fail now streaming on Disney + Hotstar, the movie, which stars Massey as Sharma and features Medha Shankar as the latter’s wife IRS Shraddha Joshi, is back on everyone’s mind. Before watching their story play out on screen, here’s a quick primer on how a 12th-standard fail managed to overcome every hurdle imaginable to become the Additional Commissioner of the Mumbai Police.
12th Fail: Know the real and inspiring story of Vikrant Massey’s character, IPS Manoj Sharma
Manoj Sharma was born in 1977 in Bilgaon, a small village in Madhya Pradesh’s Morena district. His father worked in the agriculture department and money was short. Added to that, Sharma performed poorly in the ninth and tenth standards, passing only with a third distinction. But the real crisis arose during his board exams when he failed in all subjects except for Hindi. Considering his dream of pursuing and clearing the most competitive exam in India — the UPSC exams — next, this certainly put a pin on things for a while. However, undeterred, Sharma went on to clear his 12th standard papers on the next try and then began to prepare for something much bigger.
The next few years went into sincere preparation for the UPSC exams, the toughest test to secure a post in the civil services. Through Sharma, 12th Fail has offered the country a glimpse inside what goes into UPSC preps, turning the spotlight on the thousands of hopeful candidates who embark on the gruelling journey each year. In Sharma’s case, money was a big problem; he didn’t even have enough to scrape together the tuition fees for the exams. To this end, he took up a series of odd jobs, from working as a tempo driver to a dog walker to affluent families and even serving as a peon in a library. However, through the latter, Sharma was introduced to the works of Maxim Gorky, Abraham Lincoln and Muktibodh, which helped him understand life, and his purpose in it, even better.
Despite all the preparation and hard work, Sharma failed the UPSC exams on his first try. The next two times didn’t bring much luck either. However, forever tenacious, he kept at it, finally clearing the test on his fourth try, achieving an all-India rank of 121. Following this, he joined the Maharashtra cadre in 2005 and is currently serving as the Additional Commissioner of the West Region in Mumbai.
Both, in Pathak’s book and the movie, 12th Fail spends a large chunk of its narrative on a heartwarming love story between Sharma and his wife Shraddha Joshi. The couple reportedly met at a UPSC coaching centre in Delhi’s Mukherjee Nagar, The Indian Express reports, as a teacher at the institute had recommended that she meet him. “That day only I felt that there is something special about her,” the real Manoj Sharma told the newspaper. With Joshi shying away at first, Sharma worked hard to win her trust by becoming her greatest friend, and soon the relationship transitioned neatly into love.
Joshi has been his north star since. A hard taskmaster, she made him ace his writing skills (as shown in the movie) and even made notes for him. Joshi herself has earned a mixed bag of accolades, serving at the helm of Mahila Arthik Vikas Mahamandal (MAVIM) and leading initiatives in financial inclusion, livelihood development, and grassroots institution building, SheThePeople reports. She, too, started her career in 2005 as the Deputy Collector of Nainital, and in 2007, joined the Indian Revenue Services (IRS), contributing to tax implementation across various domains like service tax, central excise, and customs.
12th Pass has been submitted to the Oscars as an independent entry.
