Anurag Kashyap praises 12th Fail, admits to being inspired by Vidhu Vinod Chopra- ‘I am ready to restart’

Anurag Kashyap needs no introduction. The filmmaker and actor, who is the recipient of France’s highly prestigious Ordre des Arts des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters) had been too busy recently to watch 12th Fail in the theatre. But when the film premiered on OTT, on Disney+, Kashyap took a chance and binged the film.

12th Fail as the 'best mainstream film' of 2023

The director shared his review of the film on Instagram, and a long and critical paragraph was penned, which delighted the netizens. After all, a show of goodwill and camaraderie is always soothing between members of the same industry. Kashyap began by declaring 12th Fail the ‘best mainstream film’ of 2023.

But the highlight of his review was the hope he found by watching the film. Kashyap admitted to ‘feeling a bit lost’ but was rejuvenated by Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s craftsmanship. It was proof that age and benchmarks do not restrict a filmmaker; they are meant to be challenged and defeated. He lauded the senior director for his vision and energy, even at the age of 71, for daring to visualise and show such a simple story in such a captivating manner.

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How 12th Fail breaks the conventions of mainstream cinema

Getting down to the details, Kashyap admitted how ‘amazed’ he was to see a mainstream film break convention and do entire scenes in simple long shots, an unheard-of phenomenon in today’s cinema with the preference for quirky cut shots and edits.

Anurag Kashyap noted another transcendence of mainstream conventions by noting the minimal usage of background music in the film. It is a decision that requires a director’s firm belief in his cast, his vision, and himself, so much so that he doesn’t have to resort to music to manipulate emotion out of his audience.

12th Fail is a major fruit of Vidhu Vinod Chopra's vision

He further congratulated the entire cast and crew of 12th Fail and admitted that though he had met Manoj and read his book, he ‘could never have seen it how VVC (Vidhu Vinod Chopra) saw it.’

Also read: Vikrant Massey’s 12th Fail offers a solution to students stuck in a threesome with love and responsibilities 

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Urging netizens who have not seen the film yet to give it a watch, Kashyap sweetly concluded his post’s caption by sharing his love and thanking Chopra for inspiring him: ‘And I am ready to #restart,’ alluding to the motivational, pulse-thumping tune of the film.