It was 2023 when 12th Fail released in theatres and became a phenomenon. Based on the life of IPS officer Manoj Kumar Sharma, the film presented his journey from poverty to becoming an IPS officer. The emotional storytelling and heartfelt performances appealed to the audience and a strong word of mouth made it gross over Rs 70 crore at the box office. The film, made on a budget of Rs 20 crore, was a sleeper hit, leaving everyone surprised industry wide. Starring Vikrant Massey, the film went on to receive acclaim and awards. And now, the makers have released the making of the film as a documentary – Zero Se Restart.
The documentary starts from the very beginning, when Vidhu Vinod Chopra wrote the script and started looking for a director. He wanted a young filmmaker to wield the camera for this one, however, all the ones who came to his office to meet him and read the script, rejected the offer. This got Chopra thinking if the story and script were truly that unappealing that no one was ready to direct it. But it was what one director said that made Vidhu decide to still go ahead and make the film and direct it himself. And just like that, he broke his three-year hiatus (he last directed Shikara in 2020), picked up his crew and left for location scouting for the film and extensively shot it in Chambal, Delhi, and Agra. The entire process of visualizing and shooting, deciding the tone of the film and the creative decision behind it will leave you awed by the filmmaking process.
When it came to casting, Varun Dhawan was a name that was a popular choice. However, Vidhu was not convinced. And the way he made the others in the creative process see sense in why he was against the idea of casting VD or someone like him, will take you right inside the mind of a filmmaker and the casting process. Vikrant Massey came on board very happily as he was excited to work with Vidhu Vinod Chopra and he soon realised that it is a film that will bring out the best in him.
There are also key sequences from the film, like the railway station scene, where Vikrant’s character Manoj meets Pandey and his life takes a new direction, and the tea shop sequences, where the aspirants come together every day to discuss about struggles, life, dreams et al. The way the crew shot amid real crowds, the challenges they faced to make what 12th Fail turned out to be, is very well captured in Zero Se Restart.
One would wonder why release a documentary in the theatres. Why not OTT? But isn’t it experimenting and taking risks that sets some people apart from the rest? The documentary is for all those who love cinema and are inquisitive about the art of filmmaking. It is for media and film students and aspiring actors and filmmakers to understand all that it takes to make a film – vision, instinct, conviction, and a great team that keeps shifting between doubting you and believing in you. It is a masterclass in filmmaking.
Zero Se Restart also comes just ahead of the making of RRR, another gem of Indian cinema. Titled Behind & Beyond, this behind-the-scenes documentary on the Jr NTR, Ram Charan starrer, directed by SS Rajamouli is set to release later this month. It can be recalled that the making of Lagaan titled Madness In The Desert, released on Netflix last year. It has also won a National Award. It is an interesting time to see these filmmakers experimenting and creating a way for audiences to get behind the process of the making of some of their most favourite films. Zero Se Restart is playing in theatres December 13 onwards, go watch!
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