Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s ’12th Fail’ Highlights That Ambition and Self-Love Are the Keys to Success in Love and Life
Vikrant Massey’s character Manoj in Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s 12th Fail and Rajkummar Rao’s titular role in Amit V Masurkar’s Newton (2017) share a common trait: unwavering integrity. However, Manoj’s integrity is marred by inconsistencies that stem from a deeper issue – a lack of self-love.
In a pivotal scene, Manoj impulsively lashes out at his employer, accusing him of being “chor ki aulaad” when he is accused of misappropriating funds. Ironically, this outburst of righteous indignation occurs just moments after Manoj himself has lied to his girlfriend Shraddha.
Balancing love and ambition proves a complex task for Manoj. In an attempt to impress Shraddha, Manoj conceals his true educational background, leading her to believe he is an aeronautics engineer. However, when Shraddha discovers he is merely a BA graduate, she withdraws from him, despite Manoj’s claims that he was about to reveal the truth. Undeterred, Manoj shifts his focus from his faltering love life to the IAS Mains exam. Yet, a careless mistake derails his aspirations, prompting him to rekindle his pursuit of love. He reappears at Shraddha’s Mussoorie home, confessing his feelings, but she remains unmoved and dismisses him through her household staff.
Upon her return to their coaching center in Delhi to apologize to Manoj, Shraddha is surprised by his request to wait until his IAS Prelims are complete. Despite her initial hesitation, she wishes him luck and acknowledges that her previous dismissal might have conveyed a lack of commitment due to his perceived failure. However, the truth lies in her need to distance herself from his compromised integrity, the very quality that initially drew her to him. Believing that the IAS Prelims qualification can bolster his self-love, Shraddha respects his request for space and offers her unwavering support during his preparation, while simultaneously focusing on her own exam. Stay tuned for more on this and others!
