Digging deep into the controversy, one has to go back a little farther – prior to the release of the film.  The news and preview of Three Idiots was brought to the world, as hot as it can be, by the media. Added fuel to the fire is Aamir Khan’s publicity gimmicks – roaming many Indian cities in disguise and talking to his fans.

The film raised much hype in the Industry circle because of the publicity by Aamir Khan, which also included Sachin Tendulkar, the legendry cricketer. At first it was reported in the media that Three Idiots was based on Chetan Bhagat’s popular novel – Five Points Someone.

Director Rajkumar Irani was stated to be accepting that the film is based on the novel but the screen play is entirely different. It was stated that Aamir Khan personally talked to Chetan and ironed out the differences regarding original novel being used as base. News was that Chetan has seen the “script” and Okayed it.

All these things have been vehemently denied by Chetan in his blog http://www.chetanbhagat.com/blog/.  . He now accuses that he has been getting hundreds of emails from his fans that Three Idiots has 80% content of his novel FPS – but he has not been given due credit.

Chetan himself throw accusations on the makers of the film (pointedly he excludes Aamir Khan in this controversy). Excerpts from his blog:

“The case is as simple as the makers claiming the story as their own, and clearly it is not. Pre-release, the makers made press statements like the movie is only ‘very loosely’, ‘2%-5% inspired by the book’.  After release, those who have read the book and seen the movie (and frankly, I think those are the only people who have the right to comment) find the film to be an adaptation of Five Point Someone. The setting, characters, plotline, dramatic twists and turns, one-liners, theme, message – almost all aspects that make up the story are from FPS. Yes, there are some changes, any adaptation requires that – but it is no way an original story. Leading movie critics have privately admitted to me that the film is 70% the book. Still, don’t take my word for it – go read the book, watch the film.”

Now it is not clear who is telling the truth – the filmwallahs or the author.  I have read the book and when watched movie, I couldn’t control myself to compare this movie with the book. 80% is same. Readers of this blog, who have watched Three Idiots and also read the novel Five Points Someone are requested to deliver the judgments in the comments box here. Thank you!

Aamir Khan's Three Idiots

Aamir Khan’s “Three Idiots” has been creating a never before buzz in the film circles of Bollywood. There is an official website for this, which creates suspense by throwing a video quiz  “Aamir Khan” is missing – find him. Aamir Khan has been visiting lately many prominent cities of India, in disguise and creating a lot of publicity.

Sachin Tendulkar was rounded up to promote it still further, by providing clues in a function to the fans to find Aamir. Enough – the hype for the film hitting the screens tomorrow – the Christmas Day has been done. Another bit is  - this film has got the distinction to be the very first released in YouTube, 3 months from now.

What is the story of Three Idiots? Well – three friends – Farhan (Tamil Hero R. Madhavan); Raju (Sharman Joshi); and Ranncchodas Shamalaldas Chanchad alias Rancho (Aamir Khan) build up the story. Average students at the college, the three go about their career choices, romances and what not.

First day in the Engineering College ICE – arguably the best of its kind in India. Students are assembled to hear their Dean – Viru Shastrabuddhe – nickname Virus (played by Boman Irani). He delivers the sermon – “if you are to be successful in life, beat your competitors throughout”. Farhan Qureshi (Madhavan); Raju Rastogi (Joshi) and Ranchhoddas Chhanchad called Rancho (Aamir Khan) are students of this college.

Right from the beginning, Rancho is defiant and often defies rules. His actions infuriate the Dean – raising wise questions not answerable by teachers; not fulfilling assignments that are not to his enjoyment etc. At one point, he even accosts the Dean as to why any of the students of such a prestigious college in the country have no worthy inventions so far.

Rancho further kindles the rage of the Dean by romancing with his daughter Pia (Kareena Kapoor). But whenever Viru tries to teach a lesson to Rancho, he is outsmarted. What baffles the students, including his two friends, is how Rancho gets top rank in the class, although not exerting too much. Farhan quips that it is ironical – when a friend fails in the examination they feel sad, but if he excels to reach the top, they feel worse.

Rancho makes his friends realize that the only reason for his upscale performance is he enjoys his tasks. He induces his two friends to go on their chosen path steadily, without bothering about the end result. The two friends are clearer in their mind as to what their future should be, after the end of the four year course. The institution asks them to pursue victory, whereas Rancho advices them that if they follow the path of excellence, victory would follow – no matter what.

Rancho goes into exile all of a sudden – after guiding his two friends on their path. Where Rancho goes and why he disappears from the friends circle without information?

The movie begins with a gripping start of Farhan and Raju continue their search for Rancho, after a gap of five years. Chattur, who was one among the opposite group in the college, provides the clue for the whereabouts of Rancho. From then on the scenes of the movie wander back and forth – flash back and current. Thus the film gets the audience absorbed from the first scene, closely following the sequences and scenes that are interwoven brilliantly.

The world calls them Three Idiots for their actions of comedy. Rancho’s romance with Pia (Kareena Kapoor) (a good entertainment for the fans would not be possible, without such a lovely young heroine what?) is interrupted by the mentor of Rancho – Viru (Boman Irani). Rancho vanishes suddenly one day – what happens thereafter is the rest of the story.

The movie is a full length comedy and therefore would provide hilarious entertainment to the audience.  The 7 songs played back by Sonu Nigam, Shaan, Shreya Goshal & co. would make the film more popular. Kajol makes a special appearance, as added attraction. The film is directed by Rajkumar Irani and the music is scored by Shantanu Moitra.

The movie is said to be adopted from the novel, Five Point Someone, by Chetan Bhagat, who says the director got his consent to the final film script. Starting in July 2008, the film was shot at Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Ladakh and Simla. Gossip is this film will take Aamir Khan to the next level in Bollywood. Aal izz Well!

New style publicity of Aamir Khan for Three Idiots

Advertisement of a movie Aamir Khan style – this is how you can describe the gimmicks and publicity stunts made by the popular artist of Bollywood. You have heard movie premiers being celebrated like a festival, just to kindle the curiosity of the ardent fans of cinema Heroes (the recent one is Big B’s Paa).

But the hero going to many cities in complete disguise and without his bodyguards tailing is unheard of. That is what Aamir Khan is doing for promoting his oncoming movie – Three Idiots – (4000 prints it is gossiped).  Recently he started his publicity campaign at Varanasi (the holy city of India, where milling crowds gather every day).

Aamir is said to have hired a cycle-rickshaw (the rickshaw wallah came to know that it is Amir Khan only the last day) and roamed in and about Varanasi for three days, in an old-man’s get up. None could identify the matinee Idol of Bollywood cinema. Amir told the press later that he visited the native place of his mother Zeenat, in Teliyanala area, near Prahalad Ghat. He was happy to be at his mother’s birth place, though the house was in ruins.

Amir is proposing to visit seven other cities all over India, the names he would not divulge. However in a function arranged for publicity of the movie, the Indian Master Blaster, the legendry cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, read out a prepared text in Hindi. It contained some clues of the cities Amir will be visiting.

Amir has another novel route to promote Three Idiots. He has a Fan Page at the social network Face Book (where his blogs appear only when his movies are released) to get in touch with his fans, to feel their pulse. You can see photos of Aamir chatting casually with various people in carefree style. He has been going on live video chat – Amir Khan “The Pucca Idiot”. He releases clues one by one (6th clue is the latest) about places of his visit. So far he has covered Varanasi; Chanderi; Kolkatta; and Faridkot. His live video chat on 19th December drew huge crowed and this tempo is expected to be kept up by the Bollywood Hero.

Will all these gimmicks yield results at the box office when “Three Idiots” hits the screens on Christmas Day? Let us wait and see!