Opinion Lesson from ’12th fail’: In a just society, UPSC obsession would be cruelty. We celebrate it

The movie is a reminder that there is space for those who win — and for those who stay true to themselves

Government civil service jobs are coveted by lakhs of people in India as a means to a better way of life in a deeply unequal society. Not everyone has a happy ending like the real and reel life Manoj. (Photo: VVC Films/ X)

January 9, 2024 10:23 AM IST First published on: Jan 8, 2024 at 05:58 PM IST

Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s moving film, 12th Fail, has a much-talked-about ending. Set in the competitive world of UPSC examinations, the film is based on real-life Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Manoj Kumar Sharma’s struggles to make it to the civil services. The powerful moment comes towards the end of the film when Manoj finds out that he has cleared the final interview. In some ways, this is an obvious moment. The actor knows he has to be impactful here. And yet, Vikrant Massey creates something unexpected — he conveys the intensity and depth of the character’s internal journey just through his body language.

But let’s rewind and focus our attention on an earlier moment — also an actor’s moment. It is the day of his final interview. Manoj is so nervous and intimidated that he doesn’t even hear his name being called out. This is the biggest day of his life, but he is not feeling like himself. He is wearing formal shoes that do not fit. He is wearing a tie that he did not want to wear. This is the unfairness of a system where he has to win by not being himself, by not revealing too much of himself — to convince the elite interviewer that he belongs to this other world, even though his strength is that he does not.

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And he almost doesn’t win. Manoj’s answer is too honest for the interview board. He is asked to step out for a bit. It is here that he reaches for the letter his girlfriend had left for him — no matter what he becomes, whether he cracks this interview or not, she wants to be with him and marry him. Her letter holds a promise which is the opposite of what the interview is demanding of him. It understands what he needs. To feel accepted and safe. He reads it just when he needs it.

The body language of Massey’s character changes in that second. He makes use of obvious props — loosens the tie, removes the shoes. But the real job, as is for most great acting, is internal. The second time he walks into the interview room, Manoj looks like a different person. He already wanted to be true to his life experience, which is why he did not lie in the first place — but now he feels confident that he can be his true self. When someone sees you for who you are, they also see you for who you want to be. This is the gift they give you.

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In an interview, Vidhu Vinod Chopra said that the crucial thing about this film is to show that you can make it big while staying honest. And that the dialogue about Manoj making it without any kind of infrastructural support — “without oxygen” — is very important. In this moment, though, 12th Fail acknowledged something even bigger — the humanity of the character. He is not just someone who has to make it through a competitive exam. He does not have to be exceptional for us to see him in all his complexity. He is that already.

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Government civil service jobs are coveted by lakhs of people in India as a means to a better way of life in a deeply unequal society. Not everyone has a happy ending like the real and reel life Manoj. In fact, most don’t. Reportedly, in 2022, 11.52 lakh applicants applied for the preliminary examination and 13,090 candidates qualified. In the previous year, after the final round, the UPSC selected 4,119 candidates. The candidates who do make it, often do so at great toil and expense, mental as well as financial. The burden becomes more pronounced since many do not come from privilege. In a just society, this would be seen as cruel. We celebrate it.

12th Fail’s final act — the moment when Manoj does find his name on the list — is a culmination of everything he wanted and worked hard for. It is a beautifully sentimental moment, demanding our emotional involvement. But it is the earlier scene that stayed with me as a reminder of a different kind of world. One where you do not need to win in order to be respected.

The writer teaches film studies at Ashoka University and has co-edited ReFocus: The Films of Zoya Akhtar. Views are personal