In a country where there exists a rat race of pressure and a billion dreams, one often wonders if honesty still has a place amidst all of the envy, deceit and competition. Manoj Kumar hails from a place famously infamous for its presence of dacoits at the time, and it comes as no shock to him that cheating through the board exams was anything but uncommon. Somewhere in the entire process of cheating and eventually being caught, Manoj finds himself deeply affected and moved by the presence of DSP Dushyant Singh and takes a vow to be like him someday. What follows is a journey that is better felt than it can ever quite be described. While Chopra’s film follows a distinct linear structure, it is a story whose outcome is inevitable, and yet, in the confines of guarantee, exists a meritorious execution.
Based on the book by Anurag Pathak about Manoj Kumar Sharma, Vidhu Vinod Chopra masterfully crafts what is one of the most complete and meticulous pieces of cinema that you’ll see emerge from India in the recent past. The journey of Manoj feels personal, and there are numerous reasons for it, perhaps. Narrated by a friend-turned-foe-turned-friend, there is a hopeful tone that keeps you on the edge of your seat, constantly rooting for the man with big dreams and honesty in his heart. He watches people succumb, he struggles to find funds, but he never quite gives up. In Manoj, there exists an emotion evoked that we too can recognise, for it remains distinct. His honesty is mortal; it is rare these days, and you long to find that kindness in those around you ever so often. This is not to say that he is not flawed, for he, too, is human, and in all of his attempts, it’s the trivial mistakes and things not said or corrected that cost him chances, as he loses those closest to him.
There are certain choices in the film’s language itself, such as the movement of the camera or the usage of voiceovers towards the final act, that can often feel a bit overpowering to the rooted nature of the story itself, but that does not take away from what the film ultimately achieves as a whole- The creation of a communal emotional experience. Even now, when one looks back upon the final sequence of the film, you cannot help but find yourself having tears in your eyes. Perhaps the biggest reason why we find ourselves connecting to the film lies in the subtlest of reasons- The title of the film itself. The protagonist is associated with the term ‘failure’ and throughout his gritty endeavour, he is met with rejection. The term ‘failure’ seems to add an unspoken weight of pressure. However, it does bring with it the hope to find a determination to prove “them” wrong. Who are they, you say? Those who doubt. Those who cheat. Those who find the value of honesty nothing but an expired product on the shelves of the supermarket, known as humanity. When you begin to show signs of being able to beat the odds, people notice. When you finally beat the odds, people celebrate.
Manoj isn’t just a student with the aim to succeed, but with the aim to change. He understands the meaning of power when he is made to understand the core value of how cheating is wrong. When we as individuals find a reason to bring about change, we realise the value of acting upon our moral conscience, a moment which arrives when DSP Dushyant Singh forgoes sleep to help Manoj in his village. A small moment like that is all it takes sometimes, for we know, a big stone may cause a splash, but a smaller one can cause a ripple worth remembering
Published – October 12, 2025 01:00 pm IST
