In a recent conversation with 12th Fail director Vidhu Vinod Chopra stated that, initially it was the plan of Rajkumar Hirani to direct the biopic of IPS office Manoj Kumar Sharma and on the recommendation of Hirani, Vikrant Massey was chosen as the lead actor for the movie.
Mumbai: In a recent interview, director Vidhu Vinod Chopra discussed the journey of his film 12th Fail. The movie featured Vikrant Massey portraying the biopic of IPS office Manjoj Kumar Sharma. The was highly appreciated for its emotional storyline and powerful performances by the 12th Fail cast. Although the movie didn’t make any huge box office collection, the biopic of the IPS officer gained well-deserved recognition and attention after its release on OTT platforms. Notably, prominent Bollywood figures like Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt, Kareena Kapoor, Vijay Varma, Kamal Haasan, Rishabh Shetty, and Vicky Kaushal had previously praised the film. Recently during a conversation, Chopra also revealed that the film was initially supposed to be directed by Dunki director Rajkumar Hirani. Here’s what he stated.
Vidhu Vinod Chopra Explains How Rajkumar Hirani Planned On Filming 12th Fail Movie
When asked about how to approach the subject, Vidhu Vinod Chopra shared during the 12th Fail success event that Manoj Kumar Sharma approached him for a blurb for the book “12th Fail.” Chopra humorously mentioned that due to being a slow reader, it would take him two days to read the book, and if he found it unimpressive, Sharma would still have to publish his honest opinion. After Sharma’s laughter, he requested Chopra to send the book to people like Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Rajkumar Hirani, and others, which Chopra did.
He further added, “Six months later, he returned with the printed book. Upon seeing endorsements from Sachin Tendulkar and Raju Hirani on the cover, I called Raju to inquire. He was surprised and asked if I hadn’t read the book yet. I admitted that I hadn’t, to which he revealed that it was actually being made into a movie. At the time, I wasn’t interested in filmmaking, but when I asked if he would be making it, Raju informed me that he was already working on a script and offered to direct if I wrote the film. I agreed to the arrangement (sic).”
Did you know Rajkumar Hirani Recommended Vikrant Massey For 12th Fail Lead Role?
He expressed, “As I was writing, I grew fond of the script! I informed Raju that I couldn’t collaborate with the existing actors and vice versa, it’s a bit challenging. That’s when he recommended Vikrant. I had previously watched his performance in A Death in the Gunj and I was really impressed. He traveled three hours to my place outside Mumbai for a couple of days. I remember being in my study, contemplating the first shot. I was pondering how he would portray a young character in the beginning of the film. Then he effortlessly assumed a childlike posture – I hope we have footage of that moment – and it perfectly became the first shot of the film, where he is cheating. This actor motivated me to take on the role of director for this film (sic).”
12th Fail Cast and Makers Win Big at 69th Filmfare Award
During the 69th Filmfare Awards, the 12th Film received multiple accolades at the esteemed ceremony, such as Best Film, Best Director, and Best Screenplay for Vidhu Vinod Chopra, as well as Best Actor (Critics) for Vikrant Massey.
