Vikrant Massey (R) plays IPS officer Manoj Kumar Sharma (L) in Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s movie ’12th Fail’ (File Photo)
Manoj Kumar Sharma opened up about the success of Vikrant Massey starrer 12th and the reason behind not getting monetary compensation.
Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s latest directorial venture, 12th Fail, was released last year. The film stars Vikrant Massey and Medha Shankr in lead roles. The film became one of the most talked about releases of 2023 and was not only lauded by the critics but also by the audience. Based on the real life journey of IPS officer Manoj Kumar Sharma, the film is a motivational watch for everyone. Talking about the same, the decorated officer Manoj Kumar Sharma has revealed that he didn’t get any monetary benefits for the film.
At ABP’s Idea of India summit, Manoj Kumar Sharma shared, “If you ask me what I got personally, then I didn’t get anything, because I don’t take money from anyone or go in expecting any monetary benefits from people. I am a visapt imaandaar (totally honest) person, I am as I was at the time of selection. My wife is also like that.”
He added, “At the time when my wife and I were preparing for the exams, we had decided that we’ll not wear diamonds and jewellery. She still doesn’t wear it so we don’t have that expense. We don’t even have a gift system, we don’t give each other gifts on anniversaries and birthdays. If we want to give gifts we write letters to each other. So we don’t need to go shopping.”
Talking about the impact of 12th Fail, Manoj Kumar Sharma stated, “The only benefit that I have got is that the things that I wanted to tell the people of our country have come out through the film and the book, and if you want to take something from it then you can. What makes me happy is that school students are sending me letters and saying that they want to be like me, and to be honest, that is my reward. There was a guy who said that his father used to tell him about his struggles, but he never understood what his father meant. But after watching the movie, he went and hugged his father. This is what I have gained. Through this movie, thanks to Vidhu Vinod Chopra, people came to know about my story, otherwise there are so many stories but no one cares. How do you find someone like him to tell a story like this? This story is not special, it is about a kid who you’ll find in every nook and corner and streets in our country. In the future, even if a few people feel that they should work hard and be honest and not take shortcuts and resort to dishonesty, then I don’t think there can be a bigger reward for me.”
12th Fail, based on a true story, draws from the struggles of the millions of students who attempt the UPSC entrance exam. But at the same time, it goes beyond that one exam and encourages people to not lose heart in the face of failure and to restart.
Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s ’12th Fail’ has arrived as a film that went on to leave its impact on the minds of the audience with its captivating and encouraging story. The film has been receiving immense love from all across and also has an IMDb rating of 9.2 out of 10.
