12th Fail (2023)

12th Fail is a gritty, inspiring drama based on true events, tracing the extraordinary journey of Manoj Kumar Sharma (and the parallel real-life story of IRS officer Shraddha Joshi). Set in a small Chambal village where exam cheating is taken for granted, the film follows Manoj from humiliation and disappointment to a hard-won dream of public service. Viewers first meet Manoj as a young student taking his 12th‑standard exams. When a stern DCP Dushyant Singh arrives and shuts down the widespread cheating, Manoj fails his exams and is forced to take menial work, driving a passenger vehicle alongside his brother Kamlesh. A violent run‑in with a politician’s goons pulls them into danger, but Dushyant’s unexpected help and integrity plant a seed of aspiration in Manoj. Inspired by this role model, he studies relentlessly, clears his exams the next year, and sets his sights on joining the civil services — only to discover that the road to the IAS/IPS is far tougher than he imagined. If you watch 12th Fail you’ll experience a raw, emotional portrait of resilience: tense exam-room scenes, the desperation of rural life, close brushes with violence, and intimate moments of mentorship and family loyalty. The film balances frustration and hope, showing the grind of preparation, the setbacks that threaten to crush a dream, and the quiet stubbornness required to keep going. It’s both a social commentary on the pressures and corruptions surrounding education and an uplifting human story about integrity, hard work, and the cost of ambition. Expect a realistic, heartfelt tone—emotional highs and lows, moments of anger and compassion, and a finale that rewards perseverance more than instant triumph. Ideal for viewers who like true‑life inspirational dramas about ordinary people doing extraordinary things through sheer grit and moral conviction.

Actors: Vikrant Massey, Medha Shankar, Joshi Anantvijay

Director: Vidhu Vinod Chopra

Genre: \N

8.9 /10 8.9 /10