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12th Fail: Not Vidhu Vinod Chopra, but THIS director was supposed to make Vikrant Massey-Medha Shankr starrer
During a recent event, Vidhu Vinod Chopra revealed that initially, he had approached another filmmaker to direct the movie 12th Fail, which stars Vikrant Massey and Medha Shankr in the lead roles.
The movie 12th Fail recently completed 100 days in theaters, prompting the cast and crew to come together and celebrate the film's success. Based on Anurag Pathak’s book of the same name, the film offers an adaptation of the life of IPS Manoj Kumar Sharma. During the success event, filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra shed light on the inception of the project. He revealed that initially, Rajkumar Hirani had agreed to direct the film. However, Chopra also disclosed how he was ultimately inspired to take on the directorial reins himself.
Vidhu Vinod Chopra shares Rajkumar Hirani was ready to direct 12th Fail
At the recent success event of the movie 12th Fail, director Vidhu Vinod Chopra offered insights into the beginning of his journey with the film. He recalled the initial encounter with Manoj, who approached him with the book 12th Fail, seeking a blurb.
Chopra humorously recounted his response, mentioning that he informed Manoj that if he found the book unimpressive, he would have to publish that as well, even if it meant labeling it as "bakwas." Upon Manoj's request to share the book with individuals like Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Rajkumar Hirani, Chopra obliged.
Six months later, when Manoj returned with the printed book, Chopra stated that he was surprised to see endorsements from notable figures like Sachin Tendulkar and Rajkumar Hirani. Intrigued by their praise, Chopra shared that he contacted Hirani to inquire further. Hirani, astonished that Chopra hadn't read the book, urged him to do so, emphasizing its potential as a movie.
Because of his initial reluctance to make the film, Chopra disclosed that he turned to Hirani and inquired whether he would consider directing the film. Recalling their conversation, Chopra revealed, "Raju told me he was already writing a film, but if I wrote the film, he would direct it."
Vidhu Vinod Chopra on how Vikrant Massey inspired him to direct 12th Fail
According to Vidhu Vinod Chopra, he then began reading the book and gradually became engrossed in the story. As he delved deeper into the narrative, he reached out to Anurag Pathak, initiating the writing process.
Chopra reminisced, "While I was writing, I fell in love with the script!" However, he expressed, “I told Raju that I can’t work with these actors and even they can’t work with me, thoda mushkil hai (It is a bit difficult). Then he was the one who suggested Vikrant.”
Chopra recalled his admiration for Vikrant Massey's performance in A Death in the Gunj and his subsequent meeting with the actor. He vividly remembered a moment during their discussions about the film's first shot, where he wondered how Vikrant would portray the younger version of the character in the initial segments of the film.
Chopra shared, “Then he went into a child pose–I hope we have footage of that–and it is exactly the first shot of the film, when he is cheating. This actor inspired me to direct this film.” Chopra acknowledged the influence of both Vikrant and the real-life individuals portrayed in the film, Manoj and Shraddha, whom he had come to know personally.
The ensemble cast of 12th Fail was spearheaded by Vikrant Massey and featured talents like Medha Shankr, Anant V Joshi, Anshumaan Pushkar, and Priyanshu Chatterjee. The film, which hit theaters in October 2023, garnered widespread acclaim for its narrative, performances, and direction.
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