12th Fail Vegamovies: Budget, Box Office Collection, and Star Performances
12th Fail is a 2023 Indian Hindi-language biographical drama film directed, produced, and written by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. The movie is based on the 2019 non-fiction book by Anurag Pathak, which tells the story of Manoj Kumar Sharma, a man who overcame extreme poverty to become an Indian Police Service officer. Vikrant Massey stars as Sharma, with Medha Shankar, Anant V Joshi, Anshumaan Pushkar, and Priyanshu Chatterjee in supporting roles.
The film was released in theaters on October 27, 2023. It received widespread critical acclaim and became a sleeper hit, earning over ₹69 crore worldwide on a budget of ₹20 crore. At the 69th Filmfare Awards, the film won five awards, including Best Film, Best Director, and Best Actor (Critics) for Vikrant Massey.
Plot:
The story revolves around Manoj Kumar Sharma, who was born in the dacoit-infested region of Chambal. His father, an honest clerk, gets suspended for standing up to a corrupt officer. Manoj and his friends prepare cheat slips for their Class 12 exams, but a newly transferred police officer, DSP Dushyant Singh, cracks down on the cheating, causing them all to fail.
With his father away challenging his suspension, Manoj and his brother run a rickshaw to support the family. When his brother is falsely accused of smuggling and jailed, Manoj manages to bail him out with the help of DSP Dushyant. Inspired by the officer, Manoj decides to become a police officer himself. He eventually passes his exams without cheating and pursues a degree in hopes of becoming a DSP.
Manoj travels to Gwalior to study but loses all his belongings to a thief on the way. He learns that the government has stopped the Group I exams for MPPSC for the next three years, crushing his dream of becoming a DSP. Struggling to survive, he meets Pritam Pandey, who introduces him to the idea of preparing for the UPSC exam in Delhi.
In Delhi, Manoj faces numerous challenges but remains determined. Despite failing his first attempt at the UPSC prelims, he perseveres with the help of a friend, Gauri Bhaiya, and eventually clears the exams. Along the way, Manoj falls in love with Shraddha Joshi, another aspirant, but their relationship faces ups and downs due to misunderstandings.
Manoj continues to work hard, juggling odd jobs to support himself. With Gauri's encouragement, he dedicates himself fully to his studies and finally clears the main UPSC exams. Shraddha also succeeds in her exams and becomes a Deputy Collector. Manoj qualifies as an IPS officer, fulfilling his dream.
Cast:
- Vikrant Massey as Manoj Kumar Sharma
- Medha Shankar as Shraddha Joshi
- Anant V Joshi as Pritam Pandey
- Anshumaan Pushkar as Gauri Bhaiya
- Priyanshu Chatterjee as DSP Dushyant Singh
- Geeta Aggarwal Sharma as Pushpa Sharma (Manoj's mother)
- Harish Khanna as Ramveer Sharma (Manoj's father)
- Sarita Joshi as Manoj's grandmother
Production:
Vidhu Vinod Chopra announced the film in November 2022, based on Anurag Pathak's book. Vikrant Massey was cast in the lead role, marking his first collaboration with Chopra. The film was shot in various locations, including Agra, Chambal, Delhi, Mussoorie, and Mumbai. The shoot was completed in December 2022.
Release:
The film's teaser was released on August 10, 2023, followed by the trailer on October 3, 2023. Initially released in Hindi and Kannada, the film was later dubbed into Tamil and Telugu following its success. It started streaming on Disney+ Hotstar on December 29, 2023.
