The tussle between author Chetan Bhagat and makers of Three Idiots
Aamir Khan’s film Three Idiots has hit the screens. Immediately thereafter here is a furor – raising heated dust among the fans of Chetan Bhagat, a popular Hindi writer. The burning question is this – Three Idiots film is one that is built upon the popular novel of Chetan – Five Points Someone or a separate one as claimed by the makers of the film?
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!
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