12th Fail (2023)

A boy from the Chambal region fails his school exams, then sets his sights on the hardest exam in India.

The Chambal ravines, the region where the real Manoj Kumar Sharma grew up
Year
2023
Language
Hindi
Director
Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Starring
Vikrant Massey, Medha Shankr, Anant V. Joshi
Also
Based on Anurag Pathak's book about Manoj Kumar Sharma

The story

Manoj grows up poor in a district where cheating in exams is routine. After an honest police officer stops the cheating, Manoj fails Class 12, and decides he wants to become an officer like him.

He moves to Delhi with almost nothing, works odd jobs, and tries again and again at the civil services exam, helped by friends and by Shraddha, who believes in him.

Why it matters

  • A small film without big stars that grew by word of mouth into a major hit.
  • Vikrant Massey's performance won him the National Film Award for Best Actor, shared with Shah Rukh Khan.
  • Students preparing for competitive exams across India took it to heart.

Where to watch

12th Fail is available on licensed streaming services. Availability changes from country to country and month to month; see how to find a legal stream. Please don't use pirate download sites: they are illegal in India and a common source of malware.

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