Probashi- Cover Story
Probashi- Cover Story
create new benchmarks of success in Hindi cinema was surprising. The story is centered on three engineering undergrads‐ Farhan Qureshi( R Madhavan), Raju Rastogi( Sharman Joshi) and Rancho( Aamir Khan). It is Rancho who comes out to be unconventional and drove in some home truths whichh were the pivot of the film ‐( i) education is about joy of learning and not merely pursuit of material goals,( ii) pursue excellence, and success will follow on its own,( iii) follow the call of the heart in career choice and you will excel. For producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra Shahrukh Khan was the first choice for 3 Idiots but SRK could not do it because of date issues and Amir was approached. Amir had to reduce from his 8 pack Gajini looks to playing a wide eyed 22 year old college boy, for which he went into a crash diet. Further Aamir wore large sized loose fitting clothing so that the muscular tone of his body was not apparent. The shooting of the film was done at IIM Bangalore( IIMB), and Aamir, Madhvan and Sharman stayed at the studentss’ hostel at IIMB so as to imbibe the feel of being a student. The famous ragging scene where the first year students are stripped was shot at the girl’ s hostel to the utter embarrassment of the actors. A film was welcomed by tumultuous box office success both nationally and internationally. Surprisingly the film did very well in the East Asian market. The apparent similarities in the problems ailing higher education in most
East Asian countries and India struck a chord with the audience. The film won three national awards – Best poplar film, best audiography and best lyrics. The film is based on the novel Five Point Something by Chetan Bhagat based on his experience as a student at IIT Delhi.
“ Baccha kabil bano, kabil... kamyabi to sali jhak maar ke peeche bhagegi” ‐ Sharman Joshi, Aamir Khan and Madavan on a ride in 3 Idiots
File photo of Pan Singh Tomar, seven times national champion in steeplechase, who turned into a notorious dacoit
Pan Singh Tomar( 2012): An Indian Army Soldier with the 100 Field Company unit of Bengal Engineer Group( BEG) and
7 times national 3000 m steeplechase champion whose national record was at that time better than the Asian record; turned into a notorious dacoit after his land in village was usurped and he got no justice from the administration, gold medals notwithstanding. Pan Singh was killed by the police in
Picture Abi Baaki Hai Mere Dost
1981, then aged 50. The idea for the film on Pan Singh came to the director Tigmanshu Dhulia when he was working as the casting director for the film Bandit Queen. It took ten years to research and reconstruct the life of Pan Singh. The film was shot in ravines of Chambal, in Dholpur and in the military barracks where Tomar lived at
Roorkee. To prepare for his role, Irrfan Khan trained rigorously with steeplechase coaches, even breaking his ankle during the filming, terming the experience " the most physically and mentally demanding film of my career " The film went on to win the National Award for the Best Feature film. Ironically Pan Singh is reported to have said " Nobody knew me as a sportsperson; people recognised me only after I became a bandit." A sad commentary on Indian sports.
We stop our journey here; films will continue to entertain us‐ Picture Abhi Baaki Hai
Mere Dost.
Written by Probashi Editorial Team, coordinated by Sudipto Sengupta