Synopsis: Two friends (Madhavan and Sharman Joshi) embark on a quest for a lost buddy. On this journey, they encounter a long forgotten bet, a wedding they must crash, and a funeral that goes impossibly out of control. As they make their way through the perilous landscape, another journey begins: their inner journey through memory lane and the story of their friend- the irrepressible free-thinker Rancho (Aamir Khan), who in his unique way, touched and changed their lives. It’s a story of their hostel days that swings between rancho’s romance with the spirited Pia (Kareena Kapoor), and his clash with and oppressive mentor, Viru Sahastrabudhhe (Boman Irani). And then one day, suddenly, Rancho vanishes…

Who was he? Where did he come from? Why did he leave?

The friend who influenced and inspired them to think creatively and independently, even as the conformist world called them three idiots. Where is the original idiot now?

Finally, in misty mountains of unparalleled beauty, the find the key to the secret.

Three Idiots is comedy of ideas that is a provocative as it is funny, as wildly entertaining as it is insightful. A laugh-riot that talks about the most important of human pursuits: self-actualization.
***********************************************************************

3 Idiots 7.5

I haven’t seen a lot of Indian cinema. The Ottawa Public Library has quite a lot of Indian films on DVD, but not knowing how to cherry pick from that extensive list, I have mostly stayed clear. Thankfully, the CFI has brought us the 8th Indian Film Festival for free, and it is an opportunity to see some of their more significant contributions.

‘3 Idiots’, I was told, is one of the best. In fact, a friend sent me a list of four all-time must-see Indian films recently, and this one was on it (so was ‘Black’, which is playing on Sunday, August 28)

Admittedly, I rather enjoyed ‘3 Idiots’. There’s an unmistakably disarming quality to the film; it’s made with such zeal and earnestness that it’s hard to resist. The actors, whether convincing or not, all invest themselves in their roles – there’s no sleepwalking here. And it’s hard to be bored, as they throw the kitchen sink in this film: comedy, drama, romance, musical numbers, adventure, mystery, …etc.

But that’s also part of the problem in some ways: case-in-point, the film is almost 3-hours long. Oh, it scoots by relatively effortlessly for a 3-hour film, but one can’t help but wonder if the overindulgence might have been necessary – that the film could have been trimmed from time to time. And, while, all this enthusiasm can sometimes overcome certain limitations, it won’t always make up for over-the-top performances.

Case-in-point, the school principal or whatever (his exact title escapes me), has this cringe-worthy lisp and makes googly eyes while over-emphasizing everything he does. He reminded me of Bruno Landry from Rock et Belles Oreilles (the difference being that Bruno Landry wouldn’t be in this kind of film – he would likely be cast in a more appropriately moronic and/or satirical film). This kind of performance, when planted in the right place works to great effect. In a film like ‘3 Idiots’ it serves only to siphon its credibility.

I also had mixed feelings about the key character of the film (there are three leads, obviously, but he’s the one everything hinges on). The actor, Aamir Khan, who is apparently one of the greatest Indian actors alive, reminded me of Tony Curtis in many ways. Tony Curtis crossed with James Spader, actually. The whole film hinges on his charm, of which he has plenty, but there were a number of emotional scenes that he wasn’t as convincing in. For instance, whenever he cried he would jab his eyes with his index finger to wipe the tears. The only other time I’ve ever seen this done before was by Bill Murray in ‘The Man Who Knew Too Little’ – and it was meant to be ridiculous, so this cinematic connection killed any emotional resonance there should have been.

Overall, the cast is very good, though, and they valiantly change gears constantly without batting an eye. The film has a lot of silly and sophomoric humour, but it is also melodramatic; one moment they’re being pseudo-slapsticky, the next they’re all crying like mad. So, for the actors to be able to handle all that’s thrown at them at the drop of a hat speaks of their versatility – they manage to maintain the film’s overall cohesion despite this considerable challenge. I doubt that most Hollywood stars of today could do the same, quite frankly.

The story is filled with clichés and déjà vus, but, for me, it was all redeemed by its unabashed optimism and general outlook on life. I liked that the key character was an outsider only because he refused to do things for the wrong reasons. He has a relatively Zen take on life (“All is well” is his oft-repeated mantra) and approaches it with wide eyes and a thirst for knowledge. He always faces adversity with a sort of MacGyver attitude, defying traditional approaches and coming up with generally beneficial outcomes for all involved. And yet he knew the meaning of sacrifice if the end justified the means.

All in all, it was an entertaining film, and I would certainly watch it again – provided that I had a whole three hours to devote to it. Clearly, the audience enjoyed it as well, as the room was frequently filled with heartfelt laughter and cheers. It was also moving enough that the woman next to me was constantly wiping away tears. To me, the film was a bit on the saccharine side of things, but I guess not everyone felt that way. Or maybe she simply had allergies. Who knows?

I liked the movie enough that a part of me wanted to give the film an 8.0. But, upon reflection, it occurred to me that I was bumping it up due to my enjoyment of the experience as a whole – which is strictly a reflection of the National Archive’s Auditorium (I simply haven’t enjoyed going to the movies as much as I did in a loooong time). However, when I compare it to other comedies I’ve enjoyed in the last year or so, it falls neatly in the 7.5s. It’s fun, but imperfect entertainment.

Nota bene: the film festival is screening a movie pretty much every night until the end of the month. For free. I highly recommend checking it out: http://www.cfi-icf.ca/index.php?option=com_cfi&task=showevent&id=75