Now, that the parties have laid the issue to rest and have decided to move on with closing statements, it maybe a good time for us the readers/the audience to take compare the book and the movie and give credit where it is due. Also now that everyone has seen the movie, I hope mentioning a few plot details won’t spoil it anymore.
Chetan Bhagat’s Five Point Someone was about three underachievers who come to terms with the system after failed attempts of cheating it. The commentary on the education system, the academic pressure all remained as the subtext as Bhagat chose to focus on the personal lives of three best friends. It was a coming-of-age story where the guys learned a few things about life.
Rajkumar Hirani’s 3 Idiots is about three friends in the top-most engineering college in the country too but Hirani likes to preach and hence turns the smartass among the three into a full-blown wise man… a saint. Baba Ranchoddas.
Given the inherent need of a Bollywood film to have a hero who does the right thing, Ryan’s character from the book became this righteous philosopher who seemed more keen to teach the teachers than learn himself.
I find it hard to believe that a guy like Aamir Khan who spends hours researching his look for every film and goes to insane levels chasing perfection hadn’t read Five Point Someone before he agreed to do the film, much before the script was ready.
Let’s for a minute look at the raw material from the point of view of an actor.
There are three guys in the book – One’s a fat dude called Fatso, the narrator who seems like a wimp except for the fact that he gets the girl. One’s the poverty-stricken geek who is blindly conforming to the system and the third guy is this total dude who teaches his seniors a lesson right in Scene One when they try to rag him.
So you are this A-list star and are asked to pick one of the three characters. Which one would you pick?
What would be your only request to the makers especially if it makes no difference to the plot if the girl falls in love with the stud?
I do not want to assume that Aamir insisted on the change but whether it was Aamir’s decision or Hirani’s, it is obvious that the changes were made keeping in mind the image of the Bollywood hero – the guy who can do no wrong and in the process of teaching the villain a lesson, also gets the girl.
The hero’s journey in a film is complete only when he wins and hence, the need to show what happens to the guy who didn’t follow the system ten years later.
Take a look at how events in the book translated to film. Alok=Raju, Ryan=Rancho, Hari=Farhan, Prof.Cherian=Virus, Neha=Pia, Venkat=Chatur.
Prologue:
One of the three guys is being rushed to the hospital and one of them decides he has to tell the story behind it.
The film opts for a different flashback point which is also one of the most significant differences to adaptation. What are these characters doing ten years since they first met – an interesting thought. The film hence begins with some larger than life moments of a passenger faking a heart attack and makes his friend leave his house without his pants on after an old college mate reminds them of the day of the bet – the day they will find out who’s more successful. And since the film’s a commentary on the education system, what better day than Teacher’s Day.
Chapter 1: Bare Beginnings
Ragging episode & What’s a Machine
While Bhagat’s more dramatic in the Ragging episode, Hirani dumbs down the Machine episode by making the professor sound unreasonably stupid by insisting on jargon. In the book, the Professor suggests a machine is anything that reduces human effort and smartass Ryan asks: Then, what about a benchpress?
Chapter 2: Terminator
Alok’s desire to conform to system v/s Ryan’s beating the system
In the book, the boys jump hostel to catch a movie and we realise the differences in their outlooks. Alok wants to conform to the system, Ryan wants to beat it and Hari, the narrator is in between while in the movie, Rancho demonstrates right at the beginning that he likes to bathe in public and learn things himself by opening up parts of machines.
In the film, this translates to Rancho spelling out his mantra – Aal Iz Well or telling yourself that everything is okay when the pressure mounts up.
Chapter 3: Barefoot on Metal
Mugging Notes & Meeting with the Professor’s daughter
While Bhagat sets the mood in the campus by talking about how the boys mug notes and sets up the hero’s first meeting with the Professor’s daughter, Hirani takes Venkat from the book and give him a meatier role in the film as Chatur to epitomise the malady of mugging notes and memorizing them without quite understanding the meaning.
Chapter 4: Line Drawing
Alok’s typically poor filmi family, Boys night out and Neha’s revelation of her brother’s death due a railway accident.
All these elements from the book have been made an integral part of the screenplay as Hirani makes these guys gatecrash a wedding and bump into the girl for the first time. Though we learn only in the fourth chapter of the book that the Dean’s son had a railway accident, we learn about this quite early on in the film when Virus speaks about how his own son couldn’t get in for three years in a row.
Chapter 5: Make Notes, Not War
First set of exams – pressure. And the author’s budding romance with Neha
In the book, Bhagat speaks about the tension, the pressure in the eve of exams. Hirani uses a song to bring out this angst and unleashes a dramatic twist of a student suicide.
Chapter 6: Five point something
First set of results out – “These were pathetic grades: we ranked in the high 200s in a class of 300 students”
Alok’s rant about his mother not having bought a Sari in 5 years, Alok moves out and moves in with Venkat, the geek
All these are faithfully retained in the film and are manifested in the bathroom sequence when Raju tells Farhan that he’s moving in with Chatur.
Chapter 7: Alok Speaks Out
Alok reveals more about his family background, Dad’s paralysis
Things we learn in episodes in the book are revealed much earlier in the course of the film as with any adaptation.
Chapter 8: One Year Later
Alok begins to hate Venkat, Ryan takes Alok’s Dad to the hospital, wins back Alok
Similarly, Rancho wins Raju back and exposes Chatur in the movie.
This is manifested through a brilliant scene where Rancho uses a Find and Replace to Chatur’s Teacher’s Day Speech.
Chapter 9: Mice Theory
Ryan’s theory: “The system is nothing but a mice race… Name one invention in three decades”
Rancho demonstrates this through that popular Farhanitrate and Prerajulisation scene.
Chapter 10: Co-operate to dominate:
Ryan’s take in the book is to cheat the system
Here is where the film deviates from the book since Rancho can’t do anything wrong. He’s not a smartass like Ryan who is looking to just have fun in college, Rancho’s a wise man… a saint Baba Ranchoddas who in fact tops the class because he’s naturally smart. A Bollywood hero in a mainstream film needs to top the class, right?
Chapter 11: The Gift
The visit to Alok’s house when Alok’s Mom cries again and the boys decide to focus on the Mutter-Paneer and how the boys break into Cherian’s house to meet Neha.
Yes, Hirani does use the Mutter-Paneer moment a little before the boys meet the girl for the first time but the breaking in happens much later in the film.
Chapter 12: Neha Speaks
Neha speaks about her feelings for Hari and the three guys and how different they were from the rest
In the film, Pia obviously falls for Rancho based on Ryan instead.
Chapter 13: One More Year Later
Cherian begins to teach their class
“It’s the same Cherian crap. Treat humans like mindless machines”
Cherian’s lecture on efficiency and not wasting time is manifested through his routine in the film – shaving in seven and a half minutes, listening to the opera, wearing a shirt with Velcro to save time etc.
Chapter 14: Vodka
Getting caught drunk in class and Alok’s need to get a Maruti 800 as dowry for his sister’s wedding. Cherian to set the toughest paper
All these details have been loyally retained since the Director wants the students to fail. In the film, he swears that he will shave his moustache off even if one of the two get placed.
Chapter 15: Operation Pendulum
Plan to steal the papers from Cherian’s office using Neha’s keys
In the film, the heroine is only a willing accomplice to this plan and hands over the keys to the boys because the director insists that the boys can do no wrong. The Heroes are Holier Than Thou.
Chapter 16: Longest day of my life – 1
Neha’s brother’s suicide note. He killed himself after failing to get into the Institute 3 times.
We learn about this suicide note in the film through a wonderfully written dialogue. “He wanted to be a writer. All he could write was this suicide note.”
Chapter 17: Longest Day of my life – 2
The guys prepare to steal the paper against all odds
Chapter 18: Longest Day of my life – 3
The red wax seal and the phone call that got them busted
This happens almost exactly as described in the book.
Chapter 19: Longest Day of my life – 4
Busted, Dean slaps Ryan across the face, disciplinary action
A little dramatised for film, Virus attacks Ryan with an umbrella and insists they move out of college in pouring rain.
Chapter 20: Longest Day of my life – 5
Alok jumps from the Insti roof unable to take the pressure of being rusticated
This happens much earlier in the film after the Director makes Raju choose between his friends and his rustication.
Chapter 21: Longest Day of my life – 6
Alok in the hospital with his legs motionless, survives near death
Raju goes into a coma in the film and needs Bollywood style miracle to make it.
Chapter 22: Ryan Speaks
We learn how the narrator wanted to be an artist and of Ryan’s past
This has been adapted to the narrator wanting to be a wild-life photographer and the sub-plot involving Ryan’s past has been completely changed. We learn at halfway point in the film that Rancho was not even his real name. He was merely a proxy student for his rich master.
Chapter 23: Kaju Barfi:
The three get another chance to write and submit their projects
Omitted from the film except that we learn that Raju’s suspension was revoked when Rancho tells him during the coma.
Chapter 24: Will We Make it
Alok on crutches, the three finish their coursework and resubmit their projects.
Raju too is on crutches and comes back to the Institute as a new man.
Chapter 25: A Day of Letters
Cherian finally finds the letter his son’s suicide note and breaks down.
This happens rather awkwardly in the film since the screenwriters tamper with the narrative a little too much. One scene Kareena is handing out the suicide note to her Dad and the immediate next scene, she’s in hospital and the Father is unable to get the pregnant sister to the hospital. Every time there’s a departure from the book, the writers slap in a larger than life sequence that requires generous doses of willing suspension of disbelief. Like the delivery scene that follows.
Chapter 26: Meeting Daddy
Alok’s interview and Ryan’s research internship
Have to agree that Hirani and Abhijat Joshi do a much better job of writing and fleshing out the interview scene and the actors rock it too. We do learn in the book that Hari wanted to be a writer, so here Hirani makes Farhan talk to his Dad about his dream internship with a wild-life photographer.
Chapter 27: Five Point Someone
Cherian realises how the Education system is flawed in a dream sequence. The boys pass out of IIT and the narrator post a letter to Ryan’s parents for funding his project.
The posting of the letter in the film happens with Farhan. Ryan can’t take favours from anyone because he’s the hero of the film and hence, posts Farhan’s letter and makes his dream come true.
* * *
Well, so almost all of Five Point Someone but for a chapter has found its way into 3 Idiots in one form or the other. And just for that reason alone, Chetan Bhagat ought to have got a story credit right upfront. Coming up with a parallel narrative of what happens 10 years ago alone does not change the entire story, however interesting or entertaining the twists are.
But seriously, imagine the suspension of disbelief and the convenience of co-incidences that Hirani and Joshi in that parallel original narrative that has nothing to do with the book. I mean what are the chances that the girl is getting married the same day as the day of the bet and the day Ranchoddass’s father died and the time Silencer/Chatur has to meet Phunsukh Wangdu and his lost classmate with whom he’s had a bet turns out to be Wangdu?
Yes, Hirani says they have fulfilled the contract and given the writer the credit he was promised but does that really entitle him to claim ownership of the story?
The ‘Work for Hire’ is a generic clause that negates all contribution from the writer and transfers ownership of the idea to the producer and the work is treated as commissioned. Bhagat unwittingly signed a contract with this deadly clause that now leaves him helpless.
There’s what you can do legally and what you have to do morally. Especially, when you teach us moral science lessons film after film.
Hirani has fallen in my eyes. If this can happen to one of the most popular writers in the country, then imagine the plight of the lesser known.
First, it was Aamir taking over a writer’s film as a director. Yes, he did a fantastic job no doubt but there’s no denying the arm-twisting. Then, there was a case about a lesser known writer claiming that Lage Raho Munnabhai was inspired from a concept note he submitted of a film he wanted to make called Gandhi and The Kid.
Hirani and Co ought to learn from Vishal Bhardwaj who credited a rather unknown Cajetan Boy for just the idea of Kaminey right at the beginning of the film and even named a character after the screenwriter he met at a seminar.
We crib about lack of writers and scripts all the time. But if this is how we treat them, how can we expect writers to come up with original ideas and trust them to Bollywood?
Lucky for Bhagat, his novel is still available for us to compare and discover. God bless the rest.
P.S: I love 3 Idiots as a film, however manipulative it is emotionally and I think Hirani is an excellent filmmaker who knows his craft and despite its flaws. Also Abhijat Joshi and Hirani have put together a decent screenplay with some really well written moments but that’s not the point of this post. The point of the post is if Bhagat should have also been credited for the Story.
As for the film, you can read my review here.
MADRAS INK. 
Excellent comparison. Well done. Fair and Balanced. I wish I had the time to do something like this..:-)
As much regard I have for Hirani and Aamir, your point is really Bhagat’s bone of contention – “Give me my due credit”.
Sad that in an age when information twitters around in no time, a supposedly smart guy and a perfectionist like Aamir would choose to play dumb on this issue.
yeah, i like the blog…both the book and the movie were totally cool!!!! i watched the movie many times and never get bored watchin’ it,and now i learned about the book i have an obsession to have one! oh, the director of the movie and the author of the book are way to genius!! look at this way sire/s, without the book, would the director create a hilarious and effective film? and if the film would have not been made,would the book be known?..well, im so sorry if i have offended someone, yeah im still seventeen years old and here i am,commenting on stuff that’s supposed to be for grown-ups.but..i just want you to know that..(sigh) can you just appreciate each others work,no more critics,just be grateful..remember you cant stand with one leg only,except if you have a support,but its the same story..c’mon! all of us have been blessed with the two products by the two brilliant persona… sooo.. y dont everyone share credits?!!! above all to the Divine providence we always have. :))))
I was there with you till Chapter 4. Then, I opted for the 3 stars and ahead.
1. I completely agree with your point.
2. I had started re-reading the book day before I was to watch the movie.
3. I did not have the will and patience to write this stuff. Better explained by my leaving chapters in between. Kudos for the huge job.
PS: I say it this way. It’s the problem with their industries. While writers give credit for every paragraph, in film industry such ‘inspirations’ aren’t much cared for. Still VVC did that. 😉
PPS: I hope Chetan gets a better lawyer next time for 2 states.
Hello Sudhish,
Though I did not find the book to be too great and found the movie to be much better than the book, this article has made me change my opinion. Its a brilliant comparison and Iam glad you wrote this. I feel sorry for Chetan, and yes Aamir *was* being a bully by using his star power and by calling Chetan an attention seeker. A clear case of a big production house squashing away a small time writer. Great to see someone with balls of steel call a spade a spade. A great article. Cheers.
Hey sudhish,
Excellent post and very valid reasoning. Its only fair that Chetan got his due in the story credit.
Hi Sudhish,
I think this is a very good comparison / review of the entire episode. With a logical ending! Appreciate. I didn’t like the book as much, but enjoyed the film. Doesn’t mean that credit be taken away from the guy who wrote the book! Cheers
Very good comparison. But i Find the book and the movie equally boring ! 🙂
Well,
Munnabhai was lifted from Patch Adams and adapted to Indian version,so even that was not original.
Vishal Bhardwaj – Omkara was 90% lifted from a film called O,
O (film) – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. I happend to see this movie in a DVD which i took from library in NJ.
Mahesh,
If I am not wrong, Omkara starts with a line stating that the movie is based on Shakespear’s Othello.
Ganesh
An amazingly perfect read.. I had a similar draft which I, now, decide not to post because I find yours to be much more comprehensive.
I would like to refer the link to this post of yours to Mr. Chetan Bhagat, with your permission of course.. What say????
Ohk.. I presume you must have done it yourself on twitter.. 🙂
Great comparison! You have almost covered all possible angles of this issue. This “work for hire” clause is new to me. Cud u elaborate a bit on the implications of that?
Its funny how one mistake changes the plate all together …. The same 3 idiots (Raju, Joshi, Aamir) who were lauded till this movie happened are being looked down now. But its a great move on the media part even though they are exploiting the issue. On a different note i hope Selvaraghavan gives credit to his writers for his next 2 movies – for he is only directing them (PS: the Vikram starer and Danush starer).
Great stuff. Pretty much sealed the debate!
neither seen the film nor read the book. your article to this third person who’s observing the hilarity makes sense.
That was Aaaaaaaaawww(tried but dozed-off!)some!! 🙂
Took your Last comments. True.
When a Surgeon gets the signature before a critical operation of loved ones its because of the BIG HOPE that someone signs that agreement and not wishing the OTHER THING to happen!!
Chetan Bhagat – the care taker who signed with HOPE !
Video Vinod Chopra(credit-Nasirudeen shah 😉 ) – the Surgeon who performed the Op and “successfully” made the OTHER THING to happen!
Critical Op – 3 Idiots (success op!!)
Patient – FPS (Decl’d DOA !!!)
Late thought but latest!!! 😉
Excellent. All the comparisons till now have been overflowing with emotions, even the ones from leading journalists. This one is based on BARE FACTS. That’s how a review or a third person’s take on a dispute must be!
Though now, I find Chetan’s demand quite unfair. In his blog, he had put forth that his name should be included in “Screenplay”, which doesn’t seem fair because it’s a well known fact that he wasn’t involved in it. “Based on” seems fair enough, with opening credits. If they can thank IIMB in the opening credits for physical premises, they definitely can thank Chetan for the premise of the story.
Btw, this was hilarious! 😀 You would’ve seen it already, still, here’s the link.
The hitler-Chetan video. Think the “ISKCON” take was the best! 😉
“Though now, I find Chetan’s demand quite unfair. In his blog, he had put forth that his name should be included in “Screenplay”, which doesn’t seem fair because it’s a well known fact that he wasn’t involved in it.”
I am not sure where you read this coz in his blog he clearly states that screenplay belongs to Mr. Hirani and Mr.Joshi. (“The Screenplay, definitely so, belongs to Mr Hirani and Mr. Joshi”)
He was only asking for credit for the story. (“all I merely ask is put my name as one of the writers in the ‘Story’ credit. They can keep their names above me, and make me the third writer of the story. The screenplay is theirs anyway.”)
Oh! yeah, i do remember reading his Blog, but a local story had reported this. But does he want both “Based on” and “story” credit?!
Ya ofcourse. What’s wrong with that? By giving “based on” it means just as much – I dont think there’s anything wrong with that.
In fact his requests are very reasonable. He’s asking to correct this mistake in the satellite version and the DVD’s without interrupting the the theater part of it which is a very workable solution. That is only if the 3 idiots accept the request in the first place!
Agreed he has a valid and fair point. But “Based on” in opening credits is fair enough. Don’t think it’ll be given though.
But if you give a “Based on” Credit and not have Chetan in the credit for story- that’s inconsistent. You can’t have a story based on a book without the contribution of the author of the book.
That could have got something to do with the script they signed. I still feel the issue shouldn’t have been discussed in the media and chetan bhagat is to be blamed.
Talks like a “Cat with closed eyes”… 🙂
Open your heart Mr.Hirani.. pls mention whether Mr.Chetan Bhagat deserves opening credit or not..
..Why ‘buck buck’ with contracts? Don’t you remember those ‘application forms’ in your Munna MBBS? To hell with the papers…go for your “Dil”….. Mard..bano!!
Good piece of investigative work. Isn’t it interesting that such comparisons can’t be done in any main stream media, which usually go through the motions of objectivity by letting both sides express some canned sound bytes. Good job once again – would appreciate it if you could do it with some celebrities in Kodambakkam, who don’t even acknowledge to the extent that the producers of 3 Idiots did.
Hirani & Aamir – Preachers do not practice 🙂
Hi!,
Here’s what I was thinking when I was reading your blog. I thought that I will copy paste your book vs movie comparison to my blog and call it mine since your views match mine and I’ve wanted to blog on this topic myself….BUT THEN I thought..hey..then that would make me a Raju Hirani! 🙂 And thats when I decided that would send the link to your blog to my friends for them to read and feel good just the way I did. Nice job indeed!
What I liked most is when you said –
“Every time there’s a departure from the book, the writers slap in a larger than life sequence that requires generous doses of willing suspension of disbelief. Like the delivery scene that follows”.
So true.
I will be glad if you review some tamil movies as well. There are quite a lot of people who review English & Hindi movies but hardly anyone who writes good tamil movie reviews. You might save me time, energy and $$ by just mentioning the tamil movies that are worth watching. I am enjoyed reading your articles in The Hindu and am enjoying reading your blog even more. So keep writing!
Regards,
Anusha
Well said Sudhish Bhai.. Talented writers like Bhagat should be groomed and encouraged.. if they get bogged down by such ill acts by the superstars and filmmakers, then the quality of Indian movies will be stagnant.. i appreciate your guts..
This is a classic case of lack of explict communication.
Chetan could have ‘explicity’ stated that this is what I want when the movie is releases, be it screenplay or story. Depends on what both parties agreed upon when they started working.
Producers, whom you can’t expect to go out of their way to acknowledge Chetan’s work, have mentioned Chetan’s contribution in the scroll.
It is true case of expectation-reality disonance for Chetan. He probably thought he will be ‘glorified’ which he wasn’t. I wouldn’t blame producers if they have paid him and fulfilled contractual obligation.
the point is valid – that most of the book is in the movie. But is that all that is there in the movie? The movie has all the major ‘scenes’ from book, but has many more. If you try to remember 10 sequences from the movie – most likely 5-8 won’t be there in the book.
The movie has a story and a theme around the pressures in indian education. The book is mainly a love story.
my 2 cents
But that’s the case with most adaptations. Yes, the screenplay has many original scenes (or scenes rehashed from his previous films) but no one’s making a case for giving him a screenplay credit. Guess you made your comment before reading the post entirely. The point here is that he should’ve been jointly credited for the Story at the beginning of the film since everything from the book was used.
My take is that the credit given was what it was worth. They did say it was based on the novel. The basic thread of the story is different and as per screen play, the book gets about 20% on screen time.
look at a harry potter film, there the story is maintained, with little changes. here even the love story that is the main part of the book is not kept as it is.
A good comparison. In India, money and star power wins!! For that matter I think everywhere its the case. The media was interested to show the reaction of Aamir and co, not Chetan. They were not even interested to ask his stand! The producer can abuse the reporter on national TV and get away! Everyone supports him saying he is always like this ‘tempered’. It’s a pity and one day in my lifetime I would like Chetan give it back to the 3 Idiots team. I wish he grows bigger and mightier than what he is now. Creativity should be respected at any cost.
Great work. Really appreciate the work done. I loved the book more than movie. Movie is anyways a Bollywood MASALA film. But this was a Blockbuster just because it was an author backed story. Just think the same storyline if it wasn’t lifted from the book ? It wud not have been so much successful.
yogi
Your post was insanely good. Keep it up!
k
3 idiots is mostly based on the book ” five point someone ” written by chetan bhagat
movie is most simmilar to stories in 5 Pt. Somvn
Very aptly said. 5 point someone is the story and 3 idiots is the screen play version. Admittedly, there has been a lot of creative inputs from Hirani and Ahijat Joshi to have made 3 Idiots the rib tickler it was. The book was a plain yet grasping narrative whereas the movie was a laughter riot. But still, it seems imbecilic that someone would claim the movie is not a remake of 5PS.
To a person like me who read the book well before the movie was even thought of, I could connect every scene in the book to what the actors were brilliantly enacting!
3I is definitely a creative masterpiece – something that Bollywood was lacking in this genre. Full credits to Hirani and Joshi for that. Yet, I would have expected the credits to open with something like “Based on 5 Point Someone by Chetan Bhagat”. As you said, if this could happen to a well known author with a huge fan following, imagine what would become of the small time aspiring writers. This is murder of creativity!
I read the comparison of Three Idiots vs Five point someone. It sort of confirmed my belief that the film was indeed based largely on the novel. I had read the novel many years back (when it first came out..) so this review by Mr Kamath really refreshed my memory and impressions. Really excellent comparison……….
It is indeed a pity that when we associate Mr Hirani with integrity and gandhigiri et al; he himself behaves like Lucky Singh. Obviously, with the help of crafty lawyers he caricatures in his movies. May be the contract was the way Mr Chopra says; and Mr Bhagat has really signed away the film rights and even nominally agreed with the byline he allegedly got as credits in the correct font with the right time duration; a public acknowledgement would have certainly given more credibility and grace to the whole murky episode.In fact I am sure the writer duo should have had a moment of remorse when they accepted the filmfare award for best story. I don’t know the difference between screen play and story; but certainly the story was Chetan Bhagat’s!! This was typically Bollywood finesse dealt with in the classic hindi manner style; which is famous for loosely copying anything from plots to dialogues,to music from the plethora of world cinema /world music; and indianize it with minor changes here and there and pass off as one’s own original!! Kudos Mr Hirani and Mr Chopra.
My take…even if originally the idea was borrowed and accordingly dealt with legally with honest intention of making a film just ideating from there and not actually lifted from there; then they could have gone beyond the contract; revisited the contract with mr bhagat and given him his due credit here……………..
While the comparison is nicely written, I disagree that the movie was based largely on the book. There are many elements in the movie that are not there in the book. I have read the book and have seen the movie. Before seeing the movie I was for Chetan Bhagat and against Vinoo Vinod Chopra (thought him crazy even when I saw him ranting in the press Conference). But after seeing the movie, I wanted to apologize to Mr. Chopra for even thinking the thought and I was extremely dissappointed with Mr. Bhagat. I thought that this movie can be actually called as ‘inspired by’.
I think the writer thought that this movie would not perform well at the box office like ‘One night at a call center’ and then after the success of the movie…. Hackneyed as it may sound, these are my two cents
Nice comparison and some excellent thoughts in the post as well as in the comments. Though CB deserves full opening credit, expecting it from Bollywood and that too after that lame contract is idiotic.
I’ve given up on Bollywood. 3i is typical masala movie – not of the type that I like. Though FPS is not a masterpiece, it is awesome compared to the movie.
Some intelligent director like Anurag Basu, Nishikant Kamat, Vishal Bharadwaj, Madhur Bhandarkar, Shimit Amin, Nagesh Kukunoo or even Shyam Benegal, Mani Rathnam, Ashutosh Gowarikar, Farhan Akhar would have done wonders with this story. Sadly it’s landed into VVC and RH’s lap. I would love to see someone from the aforementioned list doing a brand new movie on FPS.
I had watched 3 idiots a couple of months ago and read Five Point Someone only yesterday.I do agree that the basic idea of the film is from F.P.S but it would be harsh on the film to call it a copy.The film is a Bollywoodised version of the book and the narrative structure is modified to coat the movie with messages and ideals which Raju Hirani , the director is a master at.The film is more about populating its message for the masses and Hirani and Abhijat Joshi have rightly taken the mainstream path.The film may be called an idealistic version of the book..
i read the book long before i watched the movie…..the basic idea has been inspired by F.P.S. with few changes here and there….the due credit should go to the writer and on Mr. Hirani s part should stop calling it his original writing..
I have read the above story…but I feel it is true that Mr. Chetan Bhagat (I respect him personally and do not have any crudge against it)..Mr. Bhagat is lying in his blogs and interview…
Just compare the interviews of Mr. Bhagat (first he accepts he was given the script to be read and later he denies all that repeatedly in his interview to a TV Channel..please see below links and listen from Horse’s mouth… I think I agree with 3 Idiots team that they have honored the contract but Mr. Bhagat (like an after thought of a person who has missed an opportunity) is cribbing for publicity……
Screw it bole to Screwed!!