VVC’s Self-obsession with 12th Fail

RATING – 2.5/5* 

Zero Se Restart Review Movie Talkies –

I am not a huge fan of BTS making videos, even on YouTube, so it’s difficult for me to spend one and a half hours on them, which I could easily devote to watching some old Hollywood classics from the 1930s. I don’t understand why many people consider 12th Fail to be a great classic when all it provided me was a one-time watching experience (believe me, even that is a significant achievement in today’s time). You can read my 12th Fail Review HERE to learn more—just in case.

12th Fail Review – Vikrant Massey Scores Distinction In Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Educational Drama

Since I have been an UPSC aspirant myself, it was easy for me to identify the flaws in the storyline and screenplay, but for others, it was an alien world and, therefore, an extremely fascinating universe. Vidhu Vinod Chopra took advantage of that and crafted a highly emotional film that the majority of the youth could relate to, whether they are science students, commerce students, or from any other educational section, since the film is all about “Restart.”

With Zero Se Restart, he takes us behind the scenes of the making of the film, which is not a cult classic at all but is portrayed as one. Vidhu sir has made a good film, no doubt, but the narration here constantly speaks about how great and how creative he is. Why? I mean, 12th Fail is not 3 Idiots. The number of footfalls or OTT viewers will tell you the difference. Yet, Zero Se Restart tries to hammer that point into us when most of us are not at all interested.

The whole documentary is specifically designed to reinforce 12th Fail through the director’s and his crew’s point of view, indicating the creative formulas, and then it ends by saying, “There is no formula” and “Don’t give up.” But, bro, we already know them all. I’d prefer to watch Orson Welles discussing how great “A Birth of a Nation” is, or the next generation of Michael Curtiz explaining how great “Casablanca” is, more than a hundred times because it is focused on the film, its creative aspects, impact and outcomes instead of how you found the locations or managed the crowd. Zero Se Restart is a total zero in that regard, but kudos to VVC’s efforts that cannot be overlooked.